A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of hydrotherapy and land exercises on global well-being in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Completed

Conditions: Musculoskeletal Diseases: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Registration Number: ISRCTN44344800

Lead Sponsor: Record Provided by the NHSTCT Register - 2004 Update - Department of Health (UK)

Brief Summary: Not available

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: Not specified

Target Recruitment: 0

Inclusion Criteria

a. Invitation - potential volunteers will be invited to participate when they attend their Rheumatology out-patient appointment sessions. They will be provided with a Patient Information Leaflet and a short screening Questionnaire with a section to state their interest in participation

b. Consent - Informed consent for participation in the study will be sought from all volunteers and consent forms will be completed. A copy of this form will be retained by each patient.

c. Patient Selection:

1. Ability to understand the purpose of the study, give informed consent in writing and follow simple instructions
2. Age >18 years
3. Stable disease modifying drugs for 6 weeks before study entry
4. No injected steroids 4 weeks prior to study entry
5. Stable non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 2 weeks before entry
6. No surgery 3 months preceding study or planned surgery within 3 months of entry
7. Functional class I, II, III

Exclusion Criteria

1. Patients who have received physiotherapy or hydrotherapy in the past 6 months
2. Any medical condition that in the opinion of the investigators would cause the study to be detrimental to the patient
3. Known chlorine sensitivity
4. Open or infected skin wound
5. Poorly controlled epilepsy
6. Incontinence of faeces
7. Weight >16 stones (102 kg) - inability to meet emergency procedures in our hydrotherapy pool
8. Pregnancy or breast-feeding
9. Fear of water precluding hydrotherapy
10. Inability to communicate with therapist effectively
11. Unlikely to comply with therapy in the opinion of a physician
12. Known carriage of methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (upper respiratory tract)