Rheumatology

Rheumatology

Rheumatic diseases are a leading cause of chronic disability. Due to early loss of working ability and the direct and indirect costs of treatment, they pose a significant socio-economic problem for both individuals and society. They include various inflammatory, metabolic, degenerative, extra-articular, and connective tissue diseases of unknown origin. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are integral parts of the treatment strategy for rheumatic diseases, aiming to preserve the function of the locomotor system, with the physiotherapist being an indispensable member of the treatment team.

Early detection of disability enables more efficient application of all physiotherapeutic methods. Various physical therapy agents are used to reduce pain and prepare the joint for movement. The role of the physiotherapist in patients with rheumatic diseases is to restore the function of the musculoskeletal system, as movement is considered by some to be the sixth vital sign.

Exercises are the crown of physical therapy, and the physiotherapist should assess the patient’s functional status and design the most effective program by selecting proper kinesiotherapy methods and techniques. Long-term effects of exercises can only be achieved through active participation and cooperation between the patient and physiotherapist. A physiotherapist working with rheumatology patients uses various activities of daily living questionnaires to assess the patient’s functional status. These questionnaires guide the planning of kinesiotherapy programs and show the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

Methods of physical and kinesiotherapy are included in all published treatment guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic back pain, chronic non-malignant pain, and fibromyalgia, as part of a comprehensive therapeutic approach.