Exercise

LUPUS EUROPE • EXERCISE PROGRAM for LUPUS PATIENTS

In collaboration with trained physical therapists Lupus Europe has developed an exercise program in five levels which has been endorsed by leading European Lupologists.

INTRODUCTION

Studies show, that the only thing, that is clinically proven to help lupus fatigue is “moderate” exercise. We as lupus patients ourselves do however realise, how difficult it can be to start exercising, when you feel fatigue! This is why we developed this program from our own experiences.

Exercise doesn´t necessarily mean, that you have to run a marathon or go to the gym. With this program we want to show, that you can do it no matter where you are and how you are feeling. You should be able to find a level that suits you each day.

The goal is of course to increase in level whenever you can, but you will probably experience, that you have to go down a level at some point. Don´t despair, this is quite normal, and the most important thing is, that you do one exercise a day – not which level it is.

Who knows – you might even feel so energized by doing one program, that you can take on the next level straight away…?

All exercises can be done without training tools and in the individual videos we will guide you through the various options for increased or reduced difficulties. Each program can be done in 15-20 minutes, if you do two or three rounds.

LEVEL 1

• LYING DOWN

• 6 Exercises
• 10-15 Minutes

This level is for when you feel unable to get out of bed for one reason or another or feel more comfortable lying down.

This should be your starting point, if you are not used to exercising.

The exercises can be done while lying in bed or on a mat on the floor.

You can increase the difficulty of some of the exercises by using waterbottles or dumbbells.

Download Exercise PDF

Download

LEVEL 2

• SEATED

• 6 Exercises
• 10-15 Minutes

This level is for when you are able to sit on a chair or are in a wheel chair but cannot stand up for longer periods of time.

For this program you will need a kitchen chair or similar.

You can increase the difficulty of some of the exercises by using an elastic band, water bottles or dumbbells.

Download Exercise PDF

Download

LEVEL 3

• STANDING

7 Exercises
• 10-15 Minutes

This level is for when you are able to stand up, but not walk for longer periods of time.

For this program you will need a kitchen chair or similar, a floor mat and a wall to lean against.

Download Exercise PDF

Download

LEVEL 4

• STANDING
• WALKING


• 7 Exercises
• 10-15 Minutes

This level is for when you are able to walk for longer periods of time, but not run or do high impact exercise.

For this program you will need a floor mat and a wall to lean against.

You can increase the difficulty of some of the exercises by using an elastic band, water bottles or dumbbells.

Download Exercise PDF

Download

LEVEL 5

• STANDING
• WALKING
• JUMPING

• 7 Exercises 
• 10-15 Minutes

This level is for when you are able to run a bit,
jump and do high impact exercise.

For this program you will need a floor mat.

You can increase the difficulty of some of the exercises
by using a kettle bell, water bottles or dumbbells.

Download Exercise PDF

Download

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😃 Throwback to the HMA/EMA Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on Artificial Intelligence.

Watching Alain Cornet show the world what #LupusGPT really is still gives us goosebumps! 🙌

For those who still don't know this artificial intelligence tool:

💡 LupusGPT is built by patients and doctors.
🗣️ It speaks virtually any language.
💸 It’s free and anonymous- you don’t need to create an account.
📚 It is trained exclusively on a curated repository of validated documents.
🚫 It does not invent answers.

If something is not in the repository, LupusGPT will clearly say so. It will not guess. It will not generate false information.

🥹 Seeing LupusGPT presented at such a high-level regulatory forum confirmed something important:
Patient-led innovation can meaningfully contribute to the future of AI in medicine when it is built responsibly.

🔗 Try it here! lupusgpt.org/

🧠 Are medical terms confusing? Prefer shorter explanations in simple language?
Try #EasyLupus! The easy-read version of LupusGPT: easy.lupusgpt.org/
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💜 Spotlight on our Lupus Europe Youth Group!

At the #LupusConvention, our Youth Group presented one of their initiatives: a webinar on Sex and Lupus, developed in collaboration with Dr Cristiana Sieiro Santos.

🌈 Sex and intimacy are part of young peoples' journey with lupus. However, there is still stigma and a lack of safe spaces to talk about it.

🌟 With this webinar, the Youth Group opened the conversation around intimacy, relationships and sexual health.

🎥 Watch the full webinar here: youtu.be/XBbzGh0pnIw?si=LH0qVWYIndJMSAd8

👏 Congratulations to our Youth Group for the amazing job they are doing!
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🛑 Lupus is a complex autoimmune chronic condition with symptoms and treatments that can potentially impact one’s sexual life and, consequently, quality of life.

💥 Symptoms like pain, fatigue, or joint stiffness can make physical intimacy challenging, while emotional factors such as anxiety, depression, and changes in body image can further complicate sexual well-being.

🚨In addition to lupus, overlapping conditions such as Sjögren’s disease and antiphospholipid syndrome could also be a barrier to a fulfilling sexual life, as the former can cause vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse, and the latter can increase the risk of complications that may affect overall well-being and intimacy.

💊 Furthermore, certain medications used to manage lupus and related conditions could potentially have adverse effects on sexual health (corticosteroids, for instance, can lead to weight gain, mood swings, and decreased libido).

‼️Although sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent among patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD), it remains under-recognised, under-discussed & under-treated in routine clinical care.

🔊 And that is why, on this #EuropeanSexualHealthDay, we want to raise awareness about the importance of addressing sexual health as a vital component of overall well-being
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📣 Upcoming ERN RECONNET Webinar on Lupus Nephritis!

➡️ “What is the added value of triple therapy in lupus nephritis” ⬅️

🗓 11 March 2026
⏰ 4:00 p.m. CET (i.e., Paris time).

🎙 Speaker: Dr Antonis Fanouriakis
🎙 Moderators: Prof. Dr Matthias Schneider & Zoe Karakikla-Mitsakou, General Secretary of Lupus Europe.

Lupus nephritis remains one of the most serious complications of systemic lupus erythematosus, and treatment strategies continue to evolve as new evidence emerges.

🔎 This webinar will explore:
•⁠ ⁠The scientific rationale for triple therapy.
•⁠ ⁠Current clinical evidence.
•⁠ ⁠What this may mean for outcomes in lupus nephritis.

Whether you are a healthcare professional, researcher, or patient, this session is not to be missed!

Register now! us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_41Lc9osLQ6m7nOuJGGWnHw#/registration
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📣 Upcoming ERN RE