Can Electrical Muscle Stimulation Protect Muscle Strength in Rheumatoid Arthritis? Study by University of Pittsburgh

person Savannah Martin
calendar_today Jan 23, 2026
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Part of the ORIEMS FIT Research Digest Blog Series

Welcome to another article from the ORIEMS FIT Research Digest.

In this series, we share interesting scientific research and explain it in very simple language.
Our goal is not to give advice, but to spark curiosity and help everyday readers understand what researchers are discovering.

At the end of this blog, you’ll find a link to the original scientific study.
If you enjoy collecting research papers or checking facts yourself, you can always go straight to the source.

How to Read This Blog (Important)

This article is a simplified educational summary of a real scientific research paper.

It is written to help people without a science background understand:

what researchers studied
what they observed
why it matters

This blog post is not a replacement for the original research paper.

Important details, limitations, and full scientific explanations can only be found in the original study.

If you want full accuracy or technical depth, please read the original paper directly.

Research Details (Simple Q&A)

Who did this research, and when?

This study was published in 2019 by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States.

Where did the research take place?

The research was conducted in the United States, in clinical and university-based research facilities.

The University of Pittsburgh is a well-known research institution with a long history of medical and rehabilitation studies.

Who funded this research?

The study was funded by:

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The American College of Rheumatology

These are major public research organizations, which adds credibility to the study.

Who was studied?

The study involved adults with long-term rheumatoid arthritis.

Many participants already had:

muscle weakness
reduced muscle size
difficulty performing daily physical tasks

This is common in people living with rheumatoid arthritis.

What was this research about?

The researchers wanted to understand how muscle strength and muscle quality could be improved in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

They compared two different ways of activating muscles:

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)
High-intensity voluntary resistance exercise

Both methods focused on the thigh muscles, which are very important for walking, standing, and climbing stairs.

What did the researchers do?

Participants trained for 16 weeks, about 2–3 times per week.

One group used electrical stimulation to activate their muscles.
The other group used heavy resistance exercise.

Researchers measured:

muscle size
muscle strength
muscle quality
physical function

What did they observe?

Both groups showed clear improvements, including:

increased muscle size
stronger muscles
improved muscle quality

Importantly:

The electrical stimulation group improved muscle strength using much lower effort
The final muscle improvements were similar between both groups

This means heavy exercise was not the only way muscles improved in this study.

Why This Study Is Different

This was the first randomized study to directly compare:

electrical muscle stimulation
high-intensity exercise

in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

The unique part of this study is effort level.

Electrical stimulation improved muscle strength at less than half the effort required by voluntary exercise.

This matters because many people with rheumatoid arthritis:

struggle with pain
cannot tolerate heavy exercise
have limited mobility

Practical Interpretation (Non-Medical)

This study helps researchers understand how muscles respond to different types of activation.

The researchers were interested because:

muscle loss is common in rheumatoid arthritis
weaker muscles reduce independence and daily movement

This study adds to existing knowledge by showing that:

muscles can respond positively even when effort is lower
muscle activation method may be important, not just intensity

This blog does not suggest treatment or medical use.
It simply explains what researchers observed.

Study Information

Original research paper title
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Compared to Volitional Exercise for Improving Muscle Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Simplified research title
Can Electrical Stimulation Improve Muscle Strength in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Journal
Arthritis Care & Research
(Published by the American College of Rheumatology)

DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23602

Why this source is trustworthy
The journal is peer-reviewed and published by a leading global rheumatology organization, with public research funding support.

Study Summary Table

Item	Description
Study focus	Muscle strength and muscle quality
Participants	Adults with long-term rheumatoid arthritis
Intervention	Electrical muscle stimulation vs heavy exercise
Key observations	Both groups improved muscle size and strength
Unique angle	Electrical stimulation worked at lower effort
Interpretation note	Muscle activation method may matter
	This table summarizes selected observations only. Full context is available in the original research paper.

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