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Arthritic Dropouts Looking for a Quick Fix

Exercise is proven to be effective to prevent many health problems, including arthritis. But the exercise must be done for years, not just months. Many people don't make it that long. This study looks at the use of arthritis medication as a predictor of drop out status in an exercise study.

Exercise was structured and supervised by a fitness trainer. Everyone worked out three times a week for 30 minutes. Warm ups, resistance training, and flexibility were built in to the program. The study was carried out for two full years. Anyone who was not exercising at the end of 24 months was counted as a "dropout."

They found that patients using arthritis medication were four times more likely to drop out than those who didn't use pain relievers or anti-inflammatories. Age, gender, and body weight didn't make a difference. Severity of symptoms did.

The authors say it may be that the use of arthritis medication is a sign of poor overall health status. Or perhaps people taking arthritis medication are looking for a "quick fix" for their symptoms. When exercise doesn't change their symptoms quickly, they drop out.

Researchers will be able to use this drop out rate when planning long-term exercise studies. If they know half the group will drop out, then they can double the number who are part of the study in the first place. Knowing what factors predict drop out can help physical therapists plan ways to keep people in the program.

References: Frances V. Wilder, PhD, and John P. Barrett, Jr. The Association Between Medication Usage and Dropout Status Among Participants of an Exercise Study for People with Osteoarthritis. In Physical Therapy. February 2005. Vol. 85. No. 2. Pp. 142-149.

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