Table 3 Outline of session content
Week number | Session number | Group discussion topics (45–55 min) followed by coffee break (10–15 min) | Practical session (30–45 min) | Support materials and homework tasks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | • Introduction to the course – aims and expectations, Ground rules and housekeeping | • Demonstration of exercises and gym equipment | • Handouts – Arthritis Research UK fatigue booklet, Causes of fatigue, PA in RA, List of exercises included in the practical session |
• Discussion topic: Share and discuss current feelings and experiences relating to fatigue and PA | • Patient choice of exercises with supervision as time allows | |||
• Task – Activity diary to complete for next session | ||||
• Discuss benefits of PA in RA | ||||
• Introduction to activity diaries | ||||
2 | 2 | • Review and discuss activity diaries | • Individual goal setting (PA goal) | • Handouts – Pacing, Graded approach to exercise, Goal setting, Borg scale |
• Activity analysis, pacing and energy management | • Discuss potential barriers to PA and possible solutions | |||
• Task – Goal setting activity and graded PA plan, establish a baseline for chosen PA, continue activity diary | ||||
• Introduce principles of graded approach to exercise and progression of PA | • Introduce Borg scale for monitoring exertion | |||
• Introduction to goal setting | • Patient choice of exercises with supervision | |||
3 | 3 | • Review and discuss pacing and activity analysis | • Review individual goals | • Handouts – sleep, stress and relaxation, relaxation CD |
• Patient choice of exercises with supervision | ||||
• Discuss impact of sleep and rest on PA and fatigue | • Task – try out relaxation CD, continue with PA goal and activity diary | |||
• Progression of exercises as appropriate | ||||
• Effects of stress and techniques for relaxation | • End with relaxation | |||
4 | 4 | • Review general progress. Discuss barriers and potential solutions | • Review individual goals | • Handouts – self monitoring, pedometers, healthy diet |
• Patient choice of exercises with supervision | ||||
• Discuss ideas for self-monitoring PA | • Task – try out tools for self-monitoring and prompting PA, continue with PA goal and activity diary | |||
• Progression of exercises as appropriate | ||||
• Discuss diet and weight management in relation to PA | ||||
6 | 5 | • Review general progress | • Review individual goals | • Handouts –Managing external demands, managing setbacks |
• How to manage setbacks | • Patient choice of exercises with supervision | |||
• Tasks – think about and formulate a setback plan, continue with PA goal and activity diary | ||||
• Discuss managing PA alongside occupation | ||||
• Progression of exercises as appropriate | ||||
8 | 6 | • Review general progress | • Review individual goals | • Handouts – Template for planning long-term PA |
• Review and discuss setback plan | • Patient choice of exercises with supervision | |||
• Discuss how to continue and maintain PA in the longer term | • Task – continue with PA goal and activity diary, complete long-term PA plan | |||
• Progression of exercises as appropriate | ||||
12 | 7 | • Review general progress, setback plan, options for long-term maintenance and continued progression of PA | • Review individual goals | • Handouts – List of resources for long-term PA |
• Patient choice of exercises with supervision | ||||
• Progression of exercises as appropriate |