Implementation of Physical Activity into routine Clinical pracTice in Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Disease: The IMPACT-RMD study protocol and rationale

doi:10.31138/mjr.30.4.231

. 2020 Mar 31;30(4):231-236.

doi: 10.31138/mjr.30.4.231. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Implementation of Physical Activity into routine Clinical pracTice in Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Disease: The IMPACT-RMD study protocol and rationale

George S Metsios^{1

2

3}, Sally Am Fenton⁴, Helene Rikke Moe⁵, Martin van der Esch⁶, Jet Veldhuijzen van Zanten⁴, Yannis Koutedakis³, Panagiotis Vitalis¹, Norelee Kennedy⁷, Nina C Brodin⁸, Aikaterini Tzika¹, Carina Boström⁸, Thijs Willem Swinnen⁹, Rebecca Jester¹, Karin Niedermann Schneider^{1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14}, Elena Nikiphorou¹¹, George E Fragoulis¹², Thea P M Vliet Vlieland¹³, Cornelia Van den Ende¹⁴, George D Kitas^{2

6}; IMPACT-RMD Consortium.

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
² Department of Rheumatology, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley, United Kingdom.
³ School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Greece.
⁴ School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
⁵ National Resource Centre for Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
⁶ ACHIEVE - Center of Applied Research, Faculty of Health, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Reade, Center for Rehabilitation and Rheumatology/Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁷ School of Allied Health, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences and Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
⁸ Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
⁹ Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
¹⁰ School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland.
¹¹ School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College, London, UK.
¹² Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
¹³ Department of Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
¹⁴ Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

PMID: 32467876
PMCID: PMC7241658
DOI: 10.31138/mjr.30.4.231

Implementation of Physical Activity into routine Clinical pracTice in Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Disease: The IMPACT-RMD study protocol and rationale

George S Metsios et al. Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020.

. 2020 Mar 31;30(4):231-236.

doi: 10.31138/mjr.30.4.231. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
² Department of Rheumatology, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley, United Kingdom.
³ School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Greece.
⁴ School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
⁵ National Resource Centre for Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
⁶ ACHIEVE - Center of Applied Research, Faculty of Health, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Reade, Center for Rehabilitation and Rheumatology/Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁷ School of Allied Health, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences and Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
⁸ Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
⁹ Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
¹⁰ School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland.
¹¹ School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College, London, UK.
¹² Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
¹³ Department of Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
¹⁴ Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

PMID: 32467876
PMCID: PMC7241658
DOI: 10.31138/mjr.30.4.231

Abstract

Background: Physical activity is an important intervention for improving disease-related symptoms and systemic manifestations in rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (RMDs). However, studies suggest that RMD patients report that the lack of individualized and consistent information about physical activity from managing doctors and healthcare professionals, acts as a barrier for engagement. On the other hand, managing doctors and healthcare professionals report lack of knowledge in this area and thus lack of confidence to educate and advise RMD patients about the beneficial effects of physical activity. The aim of the present study therefore, is to develop two e-Learning courses for RMD doctors and health professionals: a) the first one to provide consistent information about the collective benefits of physical activity in RMDs and b) the second on how to implement physical activity advice in routine clinical practice.

Methods: An international collaboration of seven countries, consisting of one academic institution and one patient organization from each country, will co-develop the two e-Learning courses. The final e-Learning courses will primarily target to improve - through physical activity advice - RMD symptoms which are important for patients.

Discussion: The main result of this study will be to co-develop two e-Learning courses that can be used by managing RMD doctors and healthcare professionals to be made aware of the overall benefits of physical activity in RMDs as well as how to implement physical activity advise within their practice.

Keywords: e-Learning; education; exercise; implementation; physical activity.

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Figures

**Figure 1.**
Step-by-step and informed process of developing the e-Learning Courses.

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References

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[1] EULAR . EULAR’s position and recomendations. European League Against Rheumatism. Position paper. https://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/EU_Horizon_2020_EULAR_position_....

[2] EULAR . EULAR’s position and recomendations. European League Against Rheumatism. Position paper. https://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/EU_Horizon_2020_EULAR_position_....

[3] Hurkmans E, van der Giesen FJ, Vliet Vlieland TP, Schoones J, Van den Ende EC. Dynamic exercise programs (aerobic capacity and/or muscle strength training) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009(4):CD006853. [10.1002/14651858.CD006853.pub2] [PMID: ] [PMCID: ] - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Hurkmans E, van der Giesen FJ, Vliet Vlieland TP, Schoones J, Van den Ende EC. Dynamic exercise programs (aerobic capacity and/or muscle strength training) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009(4):CD006853. [10.1002/14651858.CD006853.pub2] [PMID: ] [PMCID: ] - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Metsios GS, Kitas GD. Physical activity, exercise and rheumatoid arthritis: Effectiveness, mechanisms and implementation. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2018;32(5):669–82. [10.1016/j.berh.2019.03.013] [PMID: ] - DOI - PubMed

[6] Metsios GS, Kitas GD. Physical activity, exercise and rheumatoid arthritis: Effectiveness, mechanisms and implementation. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2018;32(5):669–82. [10.1016/j.berh.2019.03.013] [PMID: ] - DOI - PubMed

[7] Rausch Osthoff AK, Niedermann K, Braun J, Adams J, Brodin N, Dagfinrud H, et al. 2018 EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2018. September;77(9):1251–60. [10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213585] [PMID: ] - DOI - PubMed

[8] Rausch Osthoff AK, Niedermann K, Braun J, Adams J, Brodin N, Dagfinrud H, et al. 2018 EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2018. September;77(9):1251–60. [10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213585] [PMID: ] - DOI - PubMed

[9] Fransen M, McConnell S, Harmer AR, Van der Esch M, Simic M, Bennell KL. Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015;1:CD004376. [10.1136/bjsports-2015-095424] [PMID: ] - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Fransen M, McConnell S, Harmer AR, Van der Esch M, Simic M, Bennell KL. Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015;1:CD004376. [10.1136/bjsports-2015-095424] [PMID: ] - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Implementation of Physical Activity into routine Clinical pracTice in Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Disease: The IMPACT-RMD study protocol and rationale

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Implementation of Physical Activity into routine Clinical pracTice in Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Disease: The IMPACT-RMD study protocol and rationale

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