Exercise in Inflammatory Myopathies, Including Inclusion Body Myositis

Exercise is an important part of treatment in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Improved functioning, ability to perform activities of daily living, and health-related quality of life have been reported in adult polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and also recently inclusion body myositis following different exercise regimens, with no signs of increased muscle inflammation. Intensive resistance training could reduce clinical disease activity and reduce expression of genes regulating inflammation and fibrosis in chronic polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Today, exercise research in adult myositis is focused on understanding mechanisms for muscle impairment and improved muscle function in relation to exercise and verifying results from small, open studies in larger settings. There are no studies evaluating the effects of exercise over weeks or months in juvenile dermatomyositis, other than a case report; however, there is to our knowledge an ongoing effort to evaluate the safety and effects of exercise in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis.