Fibromyalgia is a somewhat controversial and complex disorder which does not have a universally recognised treatment program. The illness results in widespread chronic body and muscle pain, and can sometimes be associated with a prolonged period of disability.

Researchers from The Netherlands have decided to explore the impact of a prolonged exercise program on the treatment of fibromyalgia. 42 women were allocated to an intervention group, where they were given a range of exercises to be completed over a 24-week period, and their progress was compared to a control group, where no exercise program was introduced.

The researchers measured the participants' perception of their health and wellbeing at the end of the study. They also assessed levels of depression in the exercise and control groups.

The researchers found that there was significant improvement in reported health in the exercise group. They also found that the participants' reported abilities or functional capacity generally improved in the exercise group.

While not everyone reported an improvement, some participants reported mild improvement and others reported substantial improvement. Overall, the group reported the outcome of the exercise program was a medium or moderate improvement. While the numbers involved in this study were relatively small, it does provide important information. The study information is in line with other research on fibromyalgia.

Labelling a person with fibromyalgia can be productive, or it can cause problems. Sometimes labelling a condition results in the person being more convinced they have a disability. Patients with fibromyalgia are often left with the perception that there is not a great deal that they can do about the situation and they come to feel like a victim of their health problem. This study provides good evidence that there is a means of improving the wellbeing of a fibromyalgia patient. 

Exercising is easy in theory, but can be hard to put in practice. It is much more likely to occur if treating practitioners provide clear advice, and help develop strategies for an exercise regimen that will be continued for as long as required by the patient.

This research supports the proposition that patients with fibromyalgia can be helped. It is not a quick fix, but there is good evidence that improved self-management in the form of exercise can improve a fibromyalgia patient's functional abilities and quality of life.

Authors

Van Abbema R. Van Wilgen CP. Van Der Schans CP. & Van Ittersum MW. .

Institution

Research and Innovation Group in Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Title

Patients with more severe symptoms benefit the most from an intensive multimodal programme in patients with fibromyalgia.

Source

Disability & Rehabilitation. 33(9):743-50, 2011.

Abstract

PURPOSE: Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) experience symptoms over a long period of time impacting their quality of life (QoL). Patients are often treated in multimodal programmes that combine physical and cognitive treatment modalities. Purpose of this study was to identify prognostic factors of effectiveness of a multimodal programme.

METHOD: A prospective study was performed with a group of 87 patients with FM who had participated in a multimodal programme. The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) were used. Criterion for clinically relevant improvement was a decline in total FIQ score of 12.5 points or more after the treatment programme. Investigated determinants of improvement of QoL were patient characteristics, illness perceptions (IP) and QoL at baseline.

RESULTS: QoL of 34 patients with FM made a clinically relevant improvement after the programme. There was no difference in age, number of years with pain, number of years diagnosed or IP compared to the group that did not improve. The group of patients with an improved QoL after the programme reported severe impact on daily living, highest intensity of pain and most depression at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS: Total FIQ score on QoL, intensity of pain, morning tiredness and depression can be used as prognostic factors to pre-select patients with FM for a multimodal treatment. IP were not adequate to predict treatment outcome. An intensive multimodal programme seemed most suitable for patients with severe symptoms and limitations.

Publication Type

Journal Article.

PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20735273