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Table 2 Content of the water-based (hydrotherapy) exercise group

From: Randomised controlled trial examining the effect of exercise in people with rheumatoid arthritis taking anti-TNFα therapy medication

 

Duration/no. of repetitions

Exercise

Warm up

5 mins

• Walking forwards/backwards/sideways

• Jogging on spot, kicking heels to buttocks

• Jumping jacks, stride jumping

• Joint ROM*- neck rotation/side flexion, shoulder rolls, wrist/hand ROM, trunk rotation

Upper limb

10-20 reps

• BE* shoulder horizontal ab/adduction

• BE shoulder glides into abduction

• BE shoulder pro/retraction ( elbow flexion/extension) and BE shoulder extension

• BA* shoulder stretch at wall into abduction and flexion (30 secs hold x 2 reps)

• TR* shoulder flexion/extension, ab/adduction, horizontal ab/adduction

• TR elbow flexion/extension

Encouraging scapular stability and trunk stability with all upper limb exercises

Lower limb

10-20 reps

• BA hamstring stretch (30 secs hold x 2)

• BA hip adductor/flexor stretch (30 sec hold × 2)

• TR hip flexion/extension, ab/adduction

• TR knee flexion/extension

• Single leg cycling

Encouraging trunk stability with all lower limb exercises

Back

10 reps

• Hanging on wall- Lumbar flexion, extension, rotation, side flexion

• Standing at wall- Trunk flexion/extension

• Transversus abdominus contraction while pushing float under water

Aerobic

10-15 mins (circuit - 5 stations × 2-3 mins)

• Station 1 = Aqua-jogging with running belt

• Station 2 = Step ups

• Station 3 = Jogging lengths of pool

• Station 4 = Cycling lengths of pool sitting on woggle

• Station 5 = Jogging on spot

Cool down

5 mins

• Walking forwards/backwards/sideways

• Posterior shoulder stretch and tricep stretch (30 sec hold x 2)

• Quads stretch (30 sec hold × 2)

• Hip adductor stretch in standing- transfer weight

  1. *ROM = range of movement, BE= buoyancy eliminated, B A = buoyancy assisted, BR = buoyancy resisted, TR= turbulence resisted