Promoting physical activity in rheumatoid arthritis through a physiotherapist led behaviour change-based intervention (PIPPRA): a feasibility randomised trial

The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of a physiotherapist led, behaviour change (BC) theory-informed, intervention to promote PA in people with RA who have low levels of current PA. A feasibility randomised trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03644160) of people with RA over 18  years recruited from outpatient rheumatology clinics and classified as insufficiently physically active using the Godin−Shephard Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants were randomised to intervention group (4 BC physiotherapy sessions in 8 weeks) delivered in person/virtuall y or control group (PA information leaflet only). Feasibility targets (eligibility, recruitment, and refusal), protocol adherence and acceptability were measured. Health care professionals (HCPs) involved in the study and patients in the intervention and control arms were interviewed to determine ac ceptability. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data with SPSS (v27) with interviews analysed using content analysis using NVivo (v14). Three hundred and twenty participants were identified as potentially eligible, withn = 183 (57%) eligible to participate, of whichn = 58 (32%) consented to participate. The recruitment rate was 6.4 per month. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the study, recruitment took place over two separate phases in 2020 and 2021. Of the 25 participants completing the full study, 23 were female (mean age 60 years (SD 11.5)), withn = 11 allocated to int...
Source: Rheumatology International - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: research