Occupational therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) show a reduction in physical capacities compared with healthy persons. Symptoms such as pain, fatigue, stiffness, and decreased muscle strength cause difficulties with daily activities such as grooming and dressing, cooking a meal, cleaning, shopping, work, and leisure activities. The physical, personal, familial, social, and vocational consequences of RA are extensive. Occupational therapy (OT) is concerned with facilitating people in performing their activities of daily living overcoming barriers by maintaining or improving abilities, or compensating for decreased ability in the performance of occupations (1). The most important interventions in OT are training of skills, counseling, education about joint protection, prescription of assistive devices, and the provision of splints (2). Advice/instruction in the use of assistive devices, training in self-care activities, and training in productivity activities are the 3 interventions for RA patients chosen most often by occupational therapists (3).