Rehabilitation of people with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Rehabilitation, as an adjunct to pharmacological and surgical therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), aims to minimize the consequences of the disease. For a systematic assessment of the consequences of disease, an appropriate definition and evaluation of the goals of therapy and interventions, and an active partnership with the patient, a structured approach to rehabilitation management is needed. Despite widespread positive clinical experience with rehabilitative interventions, the scientific evidence of their effectiveness is, in general, scanty, owing to a lack of studies with sufficient methodological quality. Further well-designed clinical studies are warranted with respect to several interventions where evidence is falling short.