Application of Graded Exposure Exercise in the Nursing Care of Patients with Kinesiophobia due to Rheumatoid Arthritis

doi:10.12104/j.issn.1674-4748.2025.14.016

Abstract：Objective: To explore the application effect of graded exposure exercise in the nursing care of patients with kinesiophobia due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: A total of 40 RA patients with kinesiophobia who visited the hospital from December 2022 to November 2023 were selected as the control group, and another 40 RA patients with kinesiophobia who visited the hospital from December 2023 to December 2024 were selected as the observation group. The control group received conventional nursing measures on the basis of following medical advice for drug treatment and physical therapy, while the observation group added a graded exposure exercise program on top of the control group's interventions. The two groups were compared before and after nursing in terms of fear of movement [Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK)], exercise compliance [Orthopedic Patient Functional Exercise Compliance Scale], joint function [Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)], and safety. Results: After 1, 2, and 3 months of nursing, the TSK scores of the observation group were all lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05); there were statistically significant differences in the group effect, time effect, and interaction effect of TSK scores between the two groups (P < 0.05); after nursing, the scores of the orthopedic patient functional exercise compliance scale in the observation group, including the physical aspect, psychological aspect, and active learning dimension, as well as the total score, were all higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05); after nursing, the HAQ scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05); the incidence of adverse events during exercise in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Graded exposure exercise not only effectively reduces the fear of movement in RA patients with kinesiophobia, improves exercise compliance, promotes recovery of joint function, but also has good safety.