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Final Program


Schedule at a Glance
Legend
Program: Scientific Session
General Topic: Clinical

Physical Activity, Stress Management, and Nutrition to Improve Outcomes in Rheumatic Disease: Bringing the Science to the Clinic

Sunday, October 26, 2025
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Central Time

    Moderator(s)

  • Patti Katz, PhD

    UCSF
    San Rafael, California, United States

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose

  • Susan Murphy, OT, ScD

    University of Michigan
    Plymouth, Michigan, United States

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose

    • Session Coordinator(s)

  • Puja Khanna, MD, MPH (she/her/hers)

    University of Michigan
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

    Disclosure(s): Arthrosi: Grant/Research Support (Ongoing); Horizon/Amgen: Grant/Research Support (Ongoing); Olatec: Grant/Research Support (Ongoing); SOBI: Consultant (Ongoing)

  • KS

    Kai Sun, MD,MS,RhMSUS

    Duke University
    Durham, North Carolina, United States

    Disclosure(s): Aurinia: Consultant (Terminated)

This session was submitted on behalf of the ACR Committee on Research. The goal of this session is to provide an update on evidence-based lifestyle interventions that can be used alongside disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.

Learning Objectives:

  • Discuss the role of exercise and physical activity interventions in the clinical management of rheumatic disease
  • Identify the mechanisms by which stress induces inflammation and learn evidence-based stress mitigating techniques by which inflammation can be lowered
  • Apply evidence supporting strength training, interval training, and effective virtual exercise instruction to improve patient outcomes
  • Describe the features of a plant-based diet and a Mediterranean diet, as well as the major findings from a randomized controlled trial testing each of these diets in rheumatoid arthritis

Presentations:

  • 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Central Time
    Let's Get Physical: Role for Exercise Therapy in Improving Disease Outcomes
  • 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM Central Time
    Stressing the Importance of Stress Management in Rheumatic Disease

    Speaker: Neha Shah, MD – Stanford University

  • 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM Central Time
    A Nourishing Approach to Better Outcomes: Evidence-Based Nutrition for Rheumatic Disease

    Speaker: Sarah Patterson, MD – University of California, San Francisco