Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread pain and other physical and psychological features. In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of a low-intensity physical exercise (PE) program, combining endurance training and coordination, on psychological aspects (i.e., pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, stress), pain perception (i.e., pain acceptance, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and quality of life and physical conditioning (i.e., self-perceived functional capacity, endurance and functional capacity, power and velocity) in women with FM. For this purpose, a randomized controlled trial was carried out. Thirty-two women with FM were randomly allocated to a PE group (PEG, n = 16), performing an eight-week low-intensity PE program and a control group (CG, n = 16). Pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, stress, pain acceptance, PPT, quality of life, self-perceived functional capacity, endurance and functional capacity, power, and velocity were assessed before and after the intervention. We observed a significant improvement in all studied variables in the PEG after the intervention (p < 0.05). In contrast, the CG showed no improvements in any variable, which further displayed poorer values for PPT (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a low-intensity combined PE program, including endurance training and coordination, improves psychological variables, pain perception, quality of life, and physical conditioning in women with FM.

Objective: Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic widespread pain and both physical and emotional alterations, which in turn may affect the individual’s quality of life. Thus, interventions aimed at treating such symptoms, without increasing fatigue, are needed. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-TMS) and physical exercise (PE) on pain, impact of FM, physical conditioning, and emotional status in people with FM. Methods: Forty-nine women with FM were randomly allocated to a PE group (PEG, n = 16), who underwent an 8-week (two 60-minute sessions/week) low intensity PE program; TMS group (TMSG, n = 17), receiving a 2-week (five 20-minute sessions/week) HF-TMS intervention and a control group (CG, n = 16). Pain (ie, perceived pain and average pressure pain threshold (PPT), perceived impact of FM (ie, overall impact, symptoms, and perceived physical function), physical conditioning (ie, endurance and functional capacity, fatigue, gait velocity, and power) and emotional status (ie, anxiety, depression, stress, and satisfaction) were assessed at baseline (T1) and after the intervention (T1, at 2 weeks for TMSG and at 8 weeks for PEG and CG). Results: TMSG showed to significantly improve all studied variables after the intervention except for satisfaction, whereas PEG improved average PPT, perceived overall impact of FM and total score, endurance and functional capacity, velocity and power, anxiety, depression, and stress. In contrast, the CG showed no improvements in any variable. Conclusions: Both PE and HF-TMS are effective in improving pain, impact of FM, physical conditioning, and emotional status in people with FM, while HF-TMS achieved larger improvements in emotional status than PE.

Based on the data obtained, classical physiotherapy proposals show ineffectiveness in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain. More multidimensional studies are needed in order to achieve a better treatment of this condition, including the biopsychosocial paradigm.

The main goal of this cross-sectional study was to detect whether women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) have altered postural control and to study the sensory contribution to postural control. We also explored the possibility that self-induced anxiety and lower limb strength may be related to postural control. For this purpose, 129 women within an age range of 40 to 70 years were enrolled. Eighty of the enrolled women had FMS. Postural control variables, such as Ellipse, Root mean square (RMS) and Sample entropy (SampEn), in both directions (i.e. mediolateral and anteroposterior), were calculated under five different conditions. A force plate was used to register the center of pressure shifts. Furthermore, isometric lower limb strength was recorded with a portable dynamometer and normalized by lean body mass. The results showed that women with FMS have impaired postural control compared with healthy people, as they presented a significant increase in Ellipse and RMS values (p<0.05) and a significant decrease in SampEn in both directions (p<0.05). Postural control also worsens with the gradual alteration of sensory inputs in this population (p<0.05). Performing a stressor dual task only impacts Ellipse in women with FMS (p>0.05). There were no significant correlations between postural control and lower limb strength (p>0.05). Therefore, women with FMS have impaired postural control that is worse when sensory inputs are altered but is not correlated with their lower limb strength.

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic pain and fatigue, among other manifestations, thus advising interventions that do not aggravate these symptoms. The main purpose of this study is to analyse the effect of low-pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on induced fatigue, pain, endurance and functional capacity, physical performance and cortical excitability when compared with a physical exercise program in women with FM. Methods: A total of 49 women with FM took part in this randomized controlled trial. They were randomly allocated to three groups: physical exercise group (PEG, n = 16), low-pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy group (HBG, n = 17) and control group (CG, n = 16). Induced fatigue, perceived pain, pressure pain threshold, endurance and functional capacity, physical performance and cortical excitability were assessed. To analyse the effect of the interventions, two assessments, that is, pre and post intervention, were carried out. Analyses of the data were performed using two-way mixed multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The perceived pain and induced fatigue significantly improved only in the HBG ( p < 0.05) as opposed to PEG and CG. Pressure pain threshold, endurance and functional capacity, and physical performance significantly improved for both interventions ( p < 0.05). The cortical excitability (measured with the resting motor threshold) did not improve in any of the treatments ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: Low-pressure HBOT and physical exercise improve pressure pain threshold, endurance and functional capacity, as well as physical performance. Induced fatigue and perceived pain at rest significantly improved only with low-pressure HBOT. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03801109.