Graded exercise benefits patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

The symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, including physical deconditioning and abnormal circadian rhythm, may be perpetuated by avoiding exercise. Powell et al (p 387) performed a randomised controlled trial of a structured educational intervention that provided patients with a physiological rationale for graded exercise. At one year follow up patients who had received the intervention showed substantial clinical improvement compared with those who did not. The authors say that the programme may be more cost effective than cognitive behavioural therapy.


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Relevant Article

Randomised controlled trial of patient education to encourage graded exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome
Pauline Powell, Richard P Bentall, Fred J Nye, and Richard H T Edwards
BMJ 2001 322: 387. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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