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Introduction

The 25 year old woman thought it unusual that the joints of her hands have been causing her pain the past year, and as the year progressed, she noticed the pain increased as well. Not only did the pain progress in her hands, but she was also beginning to experience minimal pain in her wrists. She viewed herself as a young, healthy woman and believed she was too young to be experiencing symptoms of arthritis.

The pain forced her to visit her doctor where he found mild synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane of a joint) in her second through fifth metacarpophalangeal joints (MCPs). After an in-depth evaluation, the doctor diagnosed the woman with rheumatoid arthritis. Her doctor attempted to sensitively explain that rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory illness that can affect multiple systems and joints of the body.

The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis can have a life changing impact on many people, and society must be aware of this disease, its manifestations, and the opportunities to effectively manage rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis and review the current literature pertaining to exercise and rheumatoid arthritis in hopes to enhance awareness and knowledge of this disorder.

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This fact sheet was last updated on 03-02-2007.