EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis: 2025 update
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The 2018 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for physical activity (PA) in people with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and osteoarthritis (OA) required revision as new studies have been published on interventions using technology and/or the combination of educational and behavioural strategies to promote PA or reduce sedentary behaviour (SB). Moreover, the World Health Organisation released updated general PA guidelines in 2020 with an emphasis on reducing SB. This work aimed to update the 2018 EULAR recommendations for PA in IA and OA. METHODS: The EULAR Standardised Operating Procedures for developing recommendations were followed. A multidisciplinary task force (TF) was established. Systematic literature searches related to 13 research questions were conducted in August 2024. Recommendations were updated, and the TF members rated their level of agreement and estimated impact and implementability (0-10 scale, with 10 highest). RESULTS: The revised recommendations include 4 overarching principles and 11 recommendations on PA and SB including inter alia PA promotion as standard care, measurements of PA, and intervention modalities considering dose, adaptations and the application of (technology-based) behaviour change techniques. The mean level of agreement for the recommendations ranged from 9.0 to 9.8, the mean impact between 8.3 and 9.2, and the mean feasibility of implementation between 7.2 and 8.5. In addition, quality indicators, research and educational agendas were defined. CONCLUSIONS: The updated EULAR recommendations for PA should guide the development, conduct and evaluation of PA interventions and promotion, including the reduction of SB, in people with IA and OA. These recommendations should be implemented with consideration of individual needs, environmental conditions, and the broader national health care context.
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BibTeX
@article{osthoff2026eular,
title = {{EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis: 2025 update}},
author = {Anne-Kathrin Rausch Osthoff and Theodora Vlieland and Ricardo Ferreira and Raj Amarnani and Simone Battista and Denislav Orlinov and Vladimira Boyadzhieva and Nina Brodin and Ashley Cox and Thomas Davergne and Tuncay Duruöz and Bente Appel Esbensen and Camilla Fongen and Klaus-Peter Günther and Yves Henrotin and Carsten Juhl and Norelee Kennedy and Uta Kiltz and Keegan Knittle and George Metsios and Michael Nurmohamed and Victoria Romero Pazos and Thijs Swinnen and Tanja Thomsen and Louise Warburton and Karin Niedermann},
journal = {Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.ard.2026.03.006},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05795955v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis: 2025 update
AU - Anne-Kathrin Rausch Osthoff
AU - Theodora Vlieland
AU - Ricardo Ferreira
AU - Raj Amarnani
AU - Simone Battista
AU - Denislav Orlinov
AU - Vladimira Boyadzhieva
AU - Nina Brodin
AU - Ashley Cox
AU - Thomas Davergne
AU - Tuncay Duruöz
AU - Bente Appel Esbensen
AU - Camilla Fongen
AU - Klaus-Peter Günther
AU - Yves Henrotin
AU - Carsten Juhl
AU - Norelee Kennedy
AU - Uta Kiltz
AU - Keegan Knittle
AU - George Metsios
AU - Michael Nurmohamed
AU - Victoria Romero Pazos
AU - Thijs Swinnen
AU - Tanja Thomsen
AU - Louise Warburton
AU - Karin Niedermann
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
DO - 10.1016/j.ard.2026.03.006
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05795955v1
AB - OBJECTIVES: The 2018 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for physical activity (PA) in people with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and osteoarthritis (OA) required revision as new studies have been published on interventions using technology and/or the combination of educational and behavioural strategies to promote PA or reduce sedentary behaviour (SB). Moreover, the World Health Organisation released updated general PA guidelines in 2020 with an emphasis on reducing SB. This work aimed to update the 2018 EULAR recommendations for PA in IA and OA. METHODS: The EULAR Standardised Operating Procedures for developing recommendations were followed. A multidisciplinary task force (TF) was established. Systematic literature searches related to 13 research questions were conducted in August 2024. Recommendations were updated, and the TF members rated their level of agreement and estimated impact and implementability (0-10 scale, with 10 highest). RESULTS: The revised recommendations include 4 overarching principles and 11 recommendations on PA and SB including inter alia PA promotion as standard care, measurements of PA, and intervention modalities considering dose, adaptations and the application of (technology-based) behaviour change techniques. The mean level of agreement for the recommendations ranged from 9.0 to 9.8, the mean impact between 8.3 and 9.2, and the mean feasibility of implementation between 7.2 and 8.5. In addition, quality indicators, research and educational agendas were defined. CONCLUSIONS: The updated EULAR recommendations for PA should guide the development, conduct and evaluation of PA interventions and promotion, including the reduction of SB, in people with IA and OA. These recommendations should be implemented with consideration of individual needs, environmental conditions, and the broader national health care context.
SN - 0003-4967
SN - 1468-2060
ER -