Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, cilt.71, sa.4, ss.595-606, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of swimming exercise on arthritis severity, radiological joint damage, and leptinrelated
molecular changes in experimental rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in rats.
Materials and methods: A total of 30 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups (n=10 per group): Control, Arthritis,
and Exercise + Arthritis. Experimental arthritis was induced by a single intradermal injection of Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA).
The Exercise + Arthritis group underwent a six-week swimming protocol (1 h/day, five days/week), beginning two weeks before arthritis
induction and continuing thereafter. Arthritis severity was assessed by visual scoring, radiological analysis, and histopathological
evaluation. Plasma concentrations of leptin and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-13) were measured using
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and leptin receptor expression in paw tissues was analyzed immunohistochemically.
Results: The Exercise + Arthritis group exhibited significantly lower visual arthritis scores (p=0.002), reduced ankle swelling (p<0.001),
and decreased cartilage and bone damage radiologically (p=0.045) compared to the Arthritis group. Histopathological evaluation
revealed that swimming exercise markedly attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration, pannus formation, and bone resorption. Although
plasma leptin and MMP levels did not differ between the groups (p>0.05), leptin receptor expression, considered to be associated with
joint damage, was found to be significantly lower in the Exercise + Arthritis group (p=0.009). Swimming exercise reduced arthritis
severity and joint damage.
Conclusion: Moderate-intensity swimming exerts protective, anti-inflammatory effects in experimental RA by reducing inflammation and
preserving joint structure in rats, possibly through modulating leptin receptor expression and inflammatory pathways. Although regular
swimming may serve as a useful adjunct to slow disease progression and joint damage in RA in rats, the translational relevance of these
results remains uncertain in humans.
Keywords: Inflammation, leptin, matrix metalloproteinase, rat model, rheumatoid arthritis, swimming exercise.