Exercise hope for arthritis patients

HUNDREDS of thousands of people with conditions such as arthritis could combat symptoms of fatigue with exercise and talking therapy, a new study suggests.

People with inflammatory rheumatic diseases – which include conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and axial spondylitis – could benefit from the treatments and they should be used as part of routine care, experts said.

Some 800,000 people suffer from these conditions across the UK and four in five of these (80%) live with fatigue every day, affecting their ability to concentrate, go to work, and live independently.

The new study, published in Lancet Rheumatology, found that those who had talking therapies or exercise therapy significantly improved fatigue levels compared to those receiving usual care.