Yes. And osteoarthritis.
All those I've trained have got less pain.
Most have to start with something less than the empty bar, using dumbbells etc. But that's not because of the arthritis, it's because most people who get arthritis are in their 60s, and they've been sedentary their entire adult lives - 40 years or more. So they're very weak. Of course, the joint pain makes them avoid physical activity, which makes them weaker than other people in their 60s. Vicious spiral.
Most don't stick with it, not because of medical advice, but because it's fucking hard. This applies to everyone regardless of health conditions. This shit is hard.
There are zillions. For example,
One - "Resistance exercise in RA is safe, and the improvement in most outcomes was statistically significant and possibly clinically relevant for RA disability."
Two - "High-intensity strength training in RA patients with varying levels of disease activity and joint damage had a large, significant effect on strength, and led to improvements in pain and function, with additive patient benefits beyond the effect of their infliximab use."
Three - "Low load resistive muscle training increased functional capacity as reported by patients and is a clinically safe form of exercise in functional class II and III RA."
Four - "Regular dynamic strength training combined with endurance-type physical activities improves muscle strength and physical function, but not BMD, in patients with early RA, without detrimental effects on disease activity"
Five, a review of other studies - "The results indicate that exercise leads to unchanged or reduced self-reported pain and joint tenderness for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Further studies are needed in order to demonstrate to what extent and how different kinds of exercise influence pain and joint tenderness in rheumatoid arthritis patients."
Some studies show no change in pain etc as a result of resistance training; most show an improvement. I would suggest those showing no change weren't very good programmes, but this is an issue with exercise science generally, not specific to studies on chronic health conditions. But the
least you can hope for is that you remain in pain, but in pain and stronger, instead of in pain and weaker. More likely, you'll have less pain and be stronger.
I have NEVER seen a study showing a
worsening of pain long-term in people with rheumatoid or osteoarthritis who do correctly-performed resistance training. Not a single one. Nada. If your doctor has one, ask him to show you it and you can share it with us.
I would be interested in the supposed mechanism of injury to the joint which eventuates from resistance training but not running. Why is it that dropping your 47kg of bodyweight onto your ankles and knees at the rate of 100-150 thumps per minute for an hour 3-4 times a week - thus, 18,000-27,000 thumps weekly - is harmless, but squatting (to begin with) the 20kg empty bar for 3-6 sets of 5 some 3 times a week for a total of 45-90 more moderate thumps would be horrendously dangerous.