Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To evaluate cardiovascular fitness exercise in people with fibromyalgia.

DESIGN:

Randomised controlled trial. Setting: Hospital rheumatology outpatients. Group based classes took place at a "healthy living centre."

PARTICIPANTS:

132 patients with fibromyalgia.

INTERVENTIONS:

Prescribed graded aerobic exercise (active treatment) and relaxation and flexibility (control treatment).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Participants' self assessment of improvement, tender point count, impact of condition measured by fibromyalgia impact questionnaire, and short form McGill pain questionnaire.

RESULTS:

Compared with relaxation exercise led to significantly more participants rating themselves as much or very much better at three months: 24/69 (35%) v 12/67 (18%), P=0.03. Benefits were maintained or improved at one year follow up when fewer participants in the exercise group fulfilled the criteria for fibromyalgia (31/69 v 44/67, P=0.01). People in the exercise group also had greater reductions in tender point counts (4.2 v 2.0, P=0.02) and in scores on the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (4.0 v 0.6, P=0.07).

CONCLUSIONS:

Prescribed graded aerobic exercise is a simple, cheap, effective, and potentially widely available treatment for fibromyalgia.