LAUSR

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) is a term used for a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by severe muscle weakness. In addition to pharmacological treatment options, non‐pharmacological methods such as exercising are essential for proper management of myositis. The present article aimed to provide an insight into the potential pathophysiological mechanisms underlying exercise‐related benefits in myositis. A systematic search was performed on PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the following keywords and their combinations: “idiopathic inflammatory myopathy”, “inflammatory myopathy”, “myositis”, “polymyositis”, “dermatomyositis”, “inclusion body myositis”, and “exercise”. Current literature indicates that exercising has impact on both immune and non‐immune pathways in patients with IIM. Exercise‐related benefits include (a) increased mitochondrial biogenesis/enzyme activity, (b) reconditioning of immune/inflammatory pathways, (c) decreased endoplasmic reticulum stress, (d) modulation of gene expression, (e) increased protein synthesis and cytoskeletal remodeling, and (f) decreased muscle fibrosis and non‐muscle area infiltrates. With its certain benefits, exercise stands as a precious non‐pharmacological treatment option for patients with IIM.