Effects of concurrent strength and endurance training in women with early or longstanding rheumatoid arthritis: Comparison with healthy subjects

Objective To investigate the effects of a 21-week concurrent strength and endurance training protocol on physical fitness profile in women with early or longstanding rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with healthy subjects. Methods Twenty-three female patients with RA volunteered for the study. Twelve had early RA and eleven had longstanding RA. Twelve healthy women served as controls. Maximal strength of different muscle groups was measured by dynamometers, walking speed with light cells, and vertical squat jump on the force platform to mirror explosive force. Maximal oxygen uptake was measured by gas analyzer. Six training sessions (3 strength training and 3 endurance training) were carri…