Habitual Physical Activity Eases Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD, USA) evaluated the effects of building up at least 30 minutes of self-selected lifestyle physical activity (LPA) on perceived physical function, pain, fatigue, body mass index (BMI), depression, tenderness, and the six-minute walk test in adults with FM. To do so, 84 middle-aged, largely female adults who had FM for a mean of 7.5 years were randomized to either LPA or a FM education (FME) control group. The subjects were not undertaking any regular physical activity, despite having no acute or chronic medical conditions that precluded them from being active. The LPA participants worked toward accumulating 30 minutes of self-selected moderate-intensity LPA such as walking more, using the stairs, or gardening, five to seven days per week, while the FME participants only received information and support.

The results showed that 73 of the 84 participants (87%) completed the 12-week trial. Pedometers worn by participants in the LPA group showed that they increased their mean number of daily steps from 3,788 at baseline to 5,837 at the end of the study, an increase of 54%. Compared with the control group, the LPA group reported significantly less perceived functional deficits on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and significantly less pain on the visual analogue scale (VAS) at the end of the study period. There were no differences between the groups on the six-minute walk test, fatigue, depression, BMI, or tenderness. The study was published online on March 29, 2010 in Arthritis Research & Therapy, a publication of BioMed Central.

"People with fibromyalgia are very sedentary because its major symptoms - pain and fatigue - make it difficult to become or stay physically active,” said lead author Kevin Fontaine, Ph.D., an associate professor of medicine in the department of health, behavior, and society. "Even if they cannot engage in traditional exercise, they can derive some benefits from simply incorporating short bouts of physical activity into their daily lives.”

Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. Other core symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, and joint stiffness. Some patients may also report difficulty with swallowing, bowel and bladder abnormalities, numbness and tingling, and cognitive dysfunction. FM is frequently comorbid with psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety and stress-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder; however, not all people with FM experience all associated symptoms. FM is estimated to affect 2-4% of the population, with a female to male incidence ratio of approximately 9:1.

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