Effects of water‐ and land‐based exercises on quality of life and physical aspects in women with fibromyalgia: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Introduction: Fibromyalgia (FM) is consistently associated with fatigue, sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, and anxiety and depression, affecting physical capacities and skills and thereby reducing quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of water-based and land-based therapies as an adjuvant treatment for women with FM in relation to quality of life and physical aspects. Methods: FM women were randomized into a water-based exercise group (WG) and land-based exercise group (LG). The interventions were conducted for 8 weeks, three times a week, and each therapy session had a 60-min duration. Evaluations were performed before and after intervention using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Visual Analogue Scale, the number of tender points (TPs), and the Wells bench sit and reach test score. Results: Both interventions produced significantly positive clinical effects in most aspects evaluated. However, only WG obtained significant improvements for the variables functional capacity, number of TPs, and flexibility. Conclusions: The findings suggest that water-based exercise is effective as an adjuvant FM treatment, including FM-related physical and psychological health aspects.

Analysis of the Muscular Activity, Peak Torque in the Lower Limbs, and Static Balance after Virtual Rehabilitation in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Study

“…40,41 Our positive results for reducing the tender point counts in both groups was possible in less time as compared with other therapies. 41 One study demonstrates that fibromyalgia patients might have different fiber recruitment or a possible atrophy of type II fibers, suggesting that they are not able to reach muscle relaxation. 43 The current study justifies this result because we were not successful in modifying the EMG values at rest in either treatment used in our protocol.…”

“…Other justifications for our findings may be that exercise with exergaming might have promoted changes in brain dynamics such as increased power in the beta-3 frequency band that could be related to increased cerebral blood flow as described in another study. 18 The body of literature describes strengthening exercises, aerobic exercises, 40 water exercises, 41 and balneotherapy 42 reducing pain and improving tender point counts in adults with fibromyalgia. 40,41 Our positive results for reducing the tender point counts in both groups was possible in less time as compared with other therapies.…”

“…18 The body of literature describes strengthening exercises, aerobic exercises, 40 water exercises, 41 and balneotherapy 42 reducing pain and improving tender point counts in adults with fibromyalgia. 40,41 Our positive results for reducing the tender point counts in both groups was possible in less time as compared with other therapies. 41 One study demonstrates that fibromyalgia patients might have different fiber recruitment or a possible atrophy of type II fibers, suggesting that they are not able to reach muscle relaxation.…”

Mechanisms hypothesized for pain-relieving effects of exercise in fibromyalgia: a scoping review

“…Figure 1 shows the PRISMA flow diagram along with reasons for exclusion, with common reasons being no description of exercise mechanisms, non-randomized trials, pain outcomes not reported, and mean differences not being significant. The type of exercise interventions investigated in the RCTs are as follows: aquatic exercise (17 trials), [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] aerobic exercise (12 trials), 14,25,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] resistance exercise (13 trials), 15,21,31,35,[40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] flexibility exercise (7 trials), 28,32,40,…”

“…buoyancy, thermal effects, stimulation of tactile, mechanoreceptors, and relaxation) were more frequently identified (n = 12), 11,13,15,16,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] followed by improvements in sleep (n = 6), 30,32,38,40,52,59 muscle oxygenation (n = 7), [12][13][14]30,31,40,58 and relaxation (n = 7). 11,14,15,20,23,52,54 Example of text verbatim. The pool-based environment, with its characteristics of buoyancy (which reduces the effects of gravity), the resistance of water (which reduces the impact on joints, muscles, and tendons), and the relaxing effect water has on muscles, prevent possible post-exercise pain and foster the benefits produced by the training session.…”