To prevent some of the complications that may occur from inflammatory diseases, Health Canada recommends at least two and a half hours per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (e.g., brisk walking, fast swimming). We know that people with inflammatory arthritis can reduce their pain and improve their ability to move around by being physically active, but many people with arthritis are not physically active and do not have appropriate access to health professionals to learn how to stay active safely. Physical activity trackers could play a part in helping patients with chronic illnesses improve their physical activity. We have developed a new app (called, MaC app) that can be linked to a Fitbit, which is a popular physical activity tracker worn on the body. Together, our MaC app and Fitbit will automatically track a patient’s physical activity, provide them with real-time feedback and deliver messages of encouragement to achieve their activity goals. In this sub-project of the PRECISION study, we will:

1. Develop a Fitbit compatible application for health professionals to provide physical activity recommendations.
2. Assess usability of the new app.
3. Evaluate the effect of a physical activity counselling intervention, involving the use of the new app, in patients with RA and SLE.

By learning more about how digital technologies could support people with arthritis in being more physically active, our research could significantly reduce and prevent complications such as heart attacks, stroke, blood clots in the legs and lungs, severe infections, hip fractures, selected cancers, diabetes, and chronic lung disease associated with inflammatory skin, joint and bowel diseases.