Sunday, November 18, 2007 Paquiao: Exercise, good for fibromyalgia By Calixto S. Paquiao Fitness & You
AN exercise program that incorporates walking, strength training and stretching may improve daily function and alleviate symptoms in women with fibromyalgia, according to ScienceDaily.
These benefits appear to be enhanced when exercise is combined with education about managing the disease.
Fibromyalgia affects approximately 3.4 percent of women and 0.5 percent of men in the United States, according to background information in the article.
Patients with fibromyalgia experience chronic pain throughout their bodies for at least three months, along with specific sites of tenderness. Causes and mechanisms are poorly understood.
For 16 weeks, women were randomly assigned to four groups: 51 performed aerobic and flexibility exercises only; 51 added in strength training; 50 received a self-help course on managing fibromyalgia; and 55 participated in all the exercises and the education course.
The exercise groups met twice weekly, gradually increasing the length and intensity of their workouts, with instructions to perform a third day of exercise on their own.
A total of 135 women completed the study and underwent a six-month follow-up assessment. As measured by two self-assessment questionnaires and one performance test, women who participated in all forms of exercise improved their physical function, an effect that was larger in the combined education and exercise group.
The present study suggests that progressive walking, simple strength training movements and stretching activities are effective at improving physical, emotional and social function, key symptoms and self-efficacy in women with fibromyalgia who are being actively treated with medication.
Furthermore, the benefits of exercise are enhanced when combined with targeted self-management education, and improvements in physical function continue for six months after completion of the intervention.
The findings suggest the need for inclusion of appropriate exercise and patient education in the treatment of individuals with fibromyalgia.sss
