Effectiveness of aquatic exercise in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis: systematic review

Spondyloarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are classified as inflammatory arthritis and represent a significant source of pain and disability. Non-pharmacological intervention with physical exercise is among the therapeutic approaches most used by health professionals. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of aquatic exercise in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. The review was registered on the PROSPERO (CRD42020189602). The databases (PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science, and SciELO) were searched for studies involving adults with inflammatory arthritis and subjected to rehabilitation with aquatic exercise compared to any other control group, from the year 2010 to March 2022. Pain, disease activity, and physical function were regarded as primary outcomes. Two reviewers completed the eligibility screening and data extraction, and disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer. The methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. A total of 5254 studies were identified, and nine articles were included, totalling 604 participants. Regarding pain, two studies showed that aquatic exercise was superior to home exercise. One study showed that disease activity was significantly improved in the aquatic group compared to the land-based exercise and the control groups (no exercise). Two studies reported that therapy containing aquatic exercise was able to improve physical function. Overall, the studies included in this review indicate that aquatic exercise is effective in treating pain, disease activity, and physical function in individuals with inflammatory arthritis. However, further studies carrying stronger evidence should be conducted to determine whether the treatment with aquatic exercise is superior to other types of therapies.