Importância do tratamento fisioterapêutico nas doenças reumáticas do idoso: revisão de literatura

Abstract

Introduction: Some rheumatic diseases have a high incidence in the elderly, since at this stage of life there is a weakening of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems. Objective: To describe the performance of physiotherapy in the most prevalent rheumatic diseases in the elderly, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Methodology: The research was carried out from February to November 2022 and it was a literature review carried out in the PEDro, SciELO and PubMed databases, including randomized clinical trials. Results: The physiotherapy program for rheumatic diseases should be started as soon as possible, seeking to minimize the worsening of diseases and deficits, improve function and autonomy. Short-term objectives are defined with the assumption that rehabilitation is a continuous process, adjustable according to the needs and tolerance of the patient, with a variable duration. Based on the improvement of balance, in which various procedures will be adopted, for example, sensory motor and strength training, the aim is for the patient to perform activities of daily living. Final Considerations: Through the studies found, it was possible to review the evidence of physiotherapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, identifying positive and neutral results. However, further studies should be carried out in order to analyze the effects of physiotherapy on these and other common diseases in the elderly.