Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: clinical aspects and new rehabilitation treatment options

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a common childhood rheumatic disease that has the potential for long-lasting consequences related to physical and social disability. New information on the treatment of juvenile arthritis emphasizes aggressive control of arthritis through a comprehensive approach including medication, individualized exercise, aerobic conditioning programs, pain management techniques, and the maintenance of age-appropriate function and development. Further advances in our understanding of arthritis-related impairments and their effects on functional capacity and disability are necessary before we can validate the use of new rehabilitation modalities. Gait analysis is an important assessment of function which can be useful in evaluation and treatment. This knowledge will hopefully contribute to improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in JRA.