Running with rheumatoid arthritis: A qualitative study of Australian rheumatologists’ perceptions and recommendations
Data files
Oct 09, 2025 version files 121.72 KB
Abstract
Objective: To explore how Australian rheumatologists perceive and recommend running for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, including their clinical experiences, observations and personal views.
Design: Qualitative exploratory study using semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using NVivo software.
Setting: Australia; interviews were conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams with participants joining from either clinical or home environments.
Participants: Thirteen practicing Australian rheumatologists recruited through purposive and snowball sampling.
Results: Five themes were identified from thematic analysis: (1) Perceived benefits of running, (2) Risks and clinical cautions, (3) Criteria required for discussing running, (4) Barriers to running and (4) Facilitators to running. Participants acknowledged various benefits of running for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, such as improved mental health, lifestyle changes, and support for joint health. Concerns included risks of running during active disease phases and overly rapid progression of training loads.. Key criteria for recommending running included good disease control, the patient’s running history and personal goals. Barriers included patient concerns around joint harm, lack of guidelines, and socioeconomic challenges. Facilitators included stable disease, symptom guided pacing, gradual load increases, allied health referral and appropriate footwear.
Conclusion: Rheumatologists acknowledged both the potential benefits and risks of running for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Individualised recommendations based on disease status and patient preferences could enhance the integration of running into care plans. Further research is needed to develop specific guidelines and understand patient outcomes.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.4b8gthts6
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset was collected as part of an exploratory qualitative study investigating Australian rheumatologists’ perceptions of running in the context of rheumatoid arthritis management. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 rheumatologists between March and May 2024. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed inductively using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. The dataset includes the interview guide and a coded thematic summary of themes and participant perspectives (paraphrased, with participant IDs), which underpinned the analysis presented in the manuscript.
Files and variables
File: Interview_Questions.pdf
Description: This file contains the semi-structured interview guide used to collect qualitative data from Australian rheumatologists. The guide includes introductory prompts and open ended questions exploring perceptions of running in the context of rheumatoid arthritis.
File: Thematic_Summary_Table-_Running_with_Rheumatoid_Arthritis-_A_Qualitative_Study_of_Australian_Rheumatologists’_Perceptions_and_Recommendations.pdf
Description: This file contains a coded thematic summary table derived from inductive thematic analysis of 13 rheumatologist interviews. It includes major themes, subthemes, paraphrased participant perspectives, and participant IDs (P1–P13). No verbatim quotes are included to protect confidentiality.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- The dataset is only available through the Dryad Digital Repository.
Data was derived from the following sources:
- No external data sources were used. All data were derived from original semi-structured interviews conducted with Australian rheumatologists for this study.
Human subjects data
<p>All data included in this submission are qualitative interview transcripts from rheumatologists. Participants provided informed consent for their interviews to be used for research and publication. All transcripts have been fully deidentified prior to deposition: names, workplaces, and any potentially identifiable details have been removed or replaced with generic descriptors (e.g., “P1,” “2”). No personal identifiers remain in the dataset. The dataset therefore complies with Dryad’s human subjects data standards for publication.</p>