Aerobic exercise eases fibromyalgia pain
2 August 2002
Graded aerobic exercises such as walking and cycling can effectively treat pain in people severely disabled with fibromyalgia, a UK study has found.
When the researchers compared relaxation treatments with prescribed graded aerobic exercise, they found significantly more people with fibromyalgia rated themselves as much or very much better after 3 months of performing the exercises.
Compliance with either therapy was poor, however, with only half of the study participants attending more than one-third of the classes.
'Reasons [for dropout] include the initial increases in pain and stiffness immediately after exercise, and patients believing that exercise worsens the condition,' the researchers wrote (British Medical Journal 2002; 325: 185-87).
A total of 132 patients with fibromyalgia undertook the 12-week exercise programme, which involved individualised aerobic exercises including walking on treadmills and cycling on exercise bikes.
Exercise amounts steadily increased from two 6-minute periods of exercise per class in the first week, to two 25-minute periods of exercise (at an intensity that caused a slight sweat) after 3 months.
Only 18 per cent of people undertaking relaxation exercises — limb stretches and relaxation techniques — rated themselves much or very much better at 3 months compared with 35 per cent of people in the exercise group.
People in the exercise group also had greater reductions in tender point counts, and, after one year, fewer people who continued to perform the exercises fulfilled the criteria for fibromyalgia than people in the relaxation group (38 per cent compared with 22 per cent).
Last Reviewed: 01 August 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 2/8/02
