Date sent:      	Sun, 28 Jul 2002 

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

BMJ 2002 Jul 27;325(7357):185

Richards SC, Scott DL.

Poole Hospital NHS Trust, Poole, Dorset BH15 2JB.
mailto:srichards@poole-tr.swest.nhs.uk


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.

PMID: 12142304

(The full text of this article is available online at
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7357/185?view=full&pmid=12142304 .)