Article

The purpose of the study was to examine muscle strength and pain
sensitivity in postmenopausal women with and without RA. METHODS: Ten women with
and ten without early RA were recruited. All were postmenopausal, and did not use
hormone replacement therapy. Measurements of isokinetic muscle strength in knee
flexors/extensors, hand grip strength, timed standing, pressure pain thresholds
(PPT), suprathreshold pressure pain, and segmental and plurisegmental endogenous
pain inhibitory mechanisms during muscle contraction were assessed. RESULTS:
Participants with early RA were weaker in knee flexors, in hand grip strength and
they needed more time for the timed standing. Women with early RA had higher
sensitivity to threshold pain and suprathreshold pressure pain compared to women
without RA. PPTs increased in the contracting muscle as well as in a distant
resting muscle during static contractions in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our
results indicate differences in muscular strength between postmenopausal women
with and without RA. Furthermore, women with RA had decreased PPT and
hyperalgesia, but no dysfunction of segmental or plurisegmental pain inhibitory
mechanisms during static exercise compared to healthy controls. The normal
function of endogenous pain inhibitory mechanisms despite chronic pain in women
with RA might contribute to the good effects of physical activity previously
reported.

Langue : ANGLAIS