Exercise for Fibromyalgia

Dec. 16, 2002 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- An exercise program can lead to significant improvements in well being for people who suffer from the musculoskeletal disease fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease characterized by pain of the muscles and skeleton, along with tender points at various places on the body. Patients with fibromyalgia also complain of fatigue and stiffness as well. Standard treatment for the condition often produces poor results. Previous research has been conducted to determine if exercise could help, but studies have involved only limited numbers of patients and outcomes have been conflicting.

In a recent study, 136 patients with fibromyalgia were placed in either a 12-week exercise program or a 12-week program of relaxation and flexibility training. Both groups met twice a week in classes of consisting of 18 participants each and all participants were given educational materials on fibromyalgia. The exercise program centered on cardiovascular equipment such as treadmills or exercise bicycles. Participants were encouraged to work up from two six-minute exercise periods during each class to two 25-minute sessions over the course of the program.

Twelve people dropped out of both groups during the study, but attendance was better in the exercise group. By the end of the study, 35 percent of the exercise group reported improvements, compared to only 18 percent of the relaxation group. There were no adverse events reported due to the exercise.

In a review of the study, Stephen D. Persell, M.D., writes, "Twice weekly low-intensity aerobic exercise leads to subjective improvement for some patients with fibromyalgia. When the level of activity is slowly increased, exercise appears to be well tolerated. Exercise therapy should be offered as part of a multifaceted approach for patients with fibromyalgia."

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Outcome Management, 2002;9:604-605