Land- and pool-based intervention in female fibromyalgia patients: A randomized-controlled trial

Abstract

and pool-based intervention in female fibromyalgia patients: A randomized-controlled trial. Turk J Phys Med Rehab 2018;64(4):337-343. ABSTRACT Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a standard physical rehabilitation intervention (SPRI) program, in pool-based (SPRI-P) and land-based (SPRI-L) environments, applied to female fibromyalgia (FM) patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms during a period of 20 weeks. Patients and methods:Between September 2016 and September 2017, a total of 73 female FM patients (mean age 48.2±6.8 years; range, 30 to 59 years) who suffered from FM were included in this study on a voluntary basis. The SPRI program was applied to the patients for 20 weeks. The severity of FM was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. The dependent variables including selfperceived pain, perceived fatigue, aerobic capacity, depressive symptoms, and the overall impact of FM were evaluated. Results: Self-perceived pain, perceived fatigue, overall impact of FM (p<0.05) and depressive symptoms (p<0.001) of the participants in the SPRI-P program decreased in the post-test values, compared to the pre-test values. Using the SPRI-L program, a significant improvement in the aerobic capacity (maximum consumption of relative oxygen and distance in meters), overall impact of FM (p<0.05), and depressive symptoms (p<0.01) was observed. Conclusion:Our study results indicated that the SPRI-P program yielded improvements in patients with FM in self-perceived pain, perceived fatigue, depressive symptoms, and overall impact, as well as improving the aerobic capacity. In addition, in the SPRI-L program, the participants increased their capacities, self-perceived pain, and overall impact of FM.

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,…”

“…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), 28,32,40,41,43,45,49 Qigong (2 trials), …”

“…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.…”

“…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. 11 Neurophysiological EIH (n = 15) 12,13,17,22,23,26,[28][29][30][32][33][34]37,58,59 was the most frequent mechanism described in the neurophysiological category with autonomic (n = 7) 22,38,43,50,53,54,59 and pain modulation (n = 5) 21,31,33,43,60 mechanisms being hypothesized in approximately an equal number of studies.…”

Land versus pool based physiotherapy in fibromyalgia

“…We read the article by Acosta-Gallego et al [1] published in your journal and congratulate the authors for conducting and reporting the findings of a longterm study (20 weeks) on the effects of pool versus land based physiotherapy interventions in female patients with fibromyalgia. However, we would like to offer the following commentary to contribute to the interpretation of the findings and be taken into consideration in the future studies on this topic.…”