EULAR issues new arthritis activity guidance

The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology has updated its physical-activity guidance for people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. (ard.eular.org) The update was published online April 25, 2026, in *Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases* as a 2025 revision of EULAR’s 2018 recommendations. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) (ard.eular.org) The document covers adults with rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, and osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. It was developed by researchers, clinicians, and patients together. (medicalxpress.com) At the center of the update is a simple shift: less sitting counts too. EULAR aligned the advice with the World Health Organization’s 2020 guidance on reducing sedentary behavior as well as increasing exercise. (medicalxpress.com) (ard.eular.org) The new paper says regular physical activity and reduced sedentary behavior are both essential for health-related quality of life in these patients. It also says cutting sedentary time has benefits independent of how much formal exercise a person does. (medicalxpress.com) The update includes four overarching principles and 11 recommendations. Some earlier language was rewritten, one recommendation on contraindications was removed, and new material was added on digital tools and behavior-change support. (medicalxpress.com) (ard.eular.org) EULAR says physical activity should be part of standard care, not an optional add-on. Programs should be tailored through shared decision-making, with attention to symptoms, preferences, and access to resources. (ard.eular.org) (medicalxpress.com) The recommendations keep the familiar exercise domains from the 2018 version: aerobic fitness, muscle strength, flexibility, and neuromotor performance, which includes balance and coordination. The paper says these are feasible and safe for people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. (ard.eular.org) The authors updated the guidance because new intervention studies have been published since 2018, including trials using technology and combined educational and behavioral strategies. They also cite the World Health Organization’s 2020 guideline as a reason the old advice needed revision. (ard.eular.org) (scientific.sparx-ip.net) Karin Niedermann of Zurich University of Applied Sciences, the project convenor, said the newer evidence on technology and behavior support helped drive the update. The paper also sets research and education agendas for how clinicians assess activity and help patients sustain it over time. (medicalxpress.com) (ard.eular.org) The practical message is narrower than a fitness trend and broader than a rehab plan: move more, sit less, and make that advice routine in arthritis care. (ard.eular.org)