Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

Living with a rheumatic disease can be difficult. It is possible that exercise, done properly, can help reduce the symptoms of rheumatic disease, potentially by reducing joint stiffness, keeping muscles strong around the joints, improving joint flexibility, reducing pain, optimizing joint alignment, and benefiting overall fitness. Exercise could be an important part of a person's overall treatment plan for arthritis or other rheumatic diseases. In this Café Scientifique, we will address how exercise may benefit persons with rheumatic disease, focussing on yoga and related interventions. Yoga is a potentially safe and effective complementary therapy that could optimize function, flexibility, strength, fitness, and other important health outcomes.