Spondyloarthritis (SpAs) constitutes a group of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases that affect the axial and peripheral skeleton, with pain and joint stiffness. There is evidence that individuals with SpA have worse functional capacity than healthy individuals. It is known that functional capacity can be influenced by the low physical activity level, but this relationship has not yet been fully established in these individuals.

Evaluate functional capacity in individuals with spondyloarthritis according to physical activity level.

This is a cross-sectional study, with a non-probabilistic convenience sample. Individuals with a diagnosis of SpA, aged between 18 and 69 years, in follow-up at the Outpatient Care of the University Hospital Maria Aparecida Pedrossian and who agreed to participate in the research made up the spondyloarthritis group (SG, n=28) and were evaluated for their aerobic capacity (Chester Step Test); muscle strength (5-repetition Sitting and Standing Test - TSL); functional balance (Timed Up and Go Test - TUG). Furthermore, physical activity level was assessed by counting steps/day using a pedometer during seven consecutive days (first and last days were excluded from the steps/day average calculation). The control group (CG, n=25) was composed of individuals without rheumatic disease and submitted to the same evaluation. Statistical analysis: Student-test or Mann-Whitney and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA, covariate: count of steps/day).

The groups were homogeneous in terms of age and sex. Aerobic capacity (p<0,001) was lower in the SG than in CG, while the time to perform TSL (p<0.001) and TUG (p<0.001) was greater in the SG than in CG. The physical activity level assessed by the pedometer was lower in the SG than in CG (EG: 5677 ± 3664; CG: 8309 ± 2513 steps/day; p=0.004). Through analysis of covariance, it was observed that physical activity level significantly interferes with the evaluated functional capacity variables.

Individuals with SpA have worse functional capacity than healthy individuals, which may be, at least in part, a result of the lower level of physical activity.

From this study, it is suggested that physiotherapists and other health professionals include in their conduct the encouragement of physical activity regular practice for individuals with SpA, not only in the context of Primary Care, but also in the outpatient setting, with the aim to attenuate or prevent the deleterious effects of a sedentary lifestyle on functional capacity.