A randomized controlled trial found that Yijinjing, a traditional Chinese exercise program, improved hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity.

In the study, published in Frontiers in Medicine, researchers randomly assigned 66 participants to either thrice-weekly Yijinjing sessions or a control group for 12 weeks. Ninety-five percent of the participants were female, with mean ages of 54.8 and 51.6 years in the intervention and control groups, respectively.

The study, conducted at Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, delivered the program virtually through online meetings. Sessions consisted of 12 standardized postures performed for 1 hour, including warm-up and cool-down periods.

The Yijinjing group demonstrated significant improvements in Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire scores compared with controls. The participants showed an increased handgrip strength of more than 1.0 kg bilaterally and improved range of motion of 6 to 10 degrees in multiple measurements.

Disease activity markers, including morning stiffness duration, Disease Activity Score 28-ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels, showed significant improvement in the intervention group. Ultrasound monitoring revealed no increase in joint inflammation.

Study limitations included a small sample size, single-blind design, lack of long-term follow-up, and focus on patients with low disease activity only. The researchers recommended larger multicenter trials with active control groups for further validation.

The authors declared that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.