Rehabilitation procedures in rheumatology

The musculoskeletal diseases requiring rehabilitation can be classified into two groups. One group is connected with the aging of bones (osteoporosis) and joints (osteoarthritis). The second group covers the rheumatoid diseases connected with the immunology system. The aim of rehabilitation is to prevent deformations and to treat existing deformations. The condition to achieve improvement is to apply simultaneously the following: analgesic procedures, adjusting the muscle tension and relieving through applying kinesiotherapy, physiotherapy and orthopaedic aids. Occupational and social rehabilitation is also very important.

The results achieved from the complex rehabilitation are used, above all, to estimate the improvement of functional abilities among the patients. The questionnaires for each disease are used for it, e.g. HAQ for RA, tiredness index or SF-36, and the greatest hopes are invested in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The rehabilitation of patients suffering from rheumatic diseases is one of the parts of the complex treatment to be carried out until the end of life. This is immensely vital in the first disease stage when there are no fixed changes. It requires a lot of modifications under the rehabilitation specialist’s supervision and pharmacological treatment administrated by the rheumatologist.