Exercise improves fibromyalgia

Graded aerobic exercise is a simple, cheap, and effective treatment for people with fibromyalgia. Richards and Scott (p 185) report a randomised controlled trial of prescribed graded exercise against relaxation and flexibility training. After three months exercise led to significantly more participants rating themselves as much or very much better, and the benefits were maintained or improved at one year follow up. The exercise group also had greater reductions in tender point counts. Exercise training does have limitations, the authors say, due to poor compliance. Strategies to increase the efficacy of exercise as an intervention would therefore need to confront compliance issues through additional cognitive behaviour therapy.

(Credit: ALFRED PASIEKA/SPL)

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Relevant Article

Prescribed exercise in people with fibromyalgia: parallel group randomised controlled trial

Selwyn C M Richards and David L Scott
BMJ 2002 325: 185. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]