Eight months of physical training in warm water improves physical and mental health in women with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial

[Guest guest]

Source: J Rehabil Med. 2008 Apr;40(4):248-52

Via Co-Cure

The topic of exercising has come up in our group many times, often met with

emotional responses and reactions. This study is rather small, but there

seems to be a surge of studies that are trying to convince us that some type

of exercise is helpful for people with FMS.

In our group, we concluded that it helps some, but not others. In the

survey AFFTER just launched that reaches beyond our group, I am anxious to

learn the results to our question about exercise... It will be interesting

to analyze our own data on the subject.

Shari

Shari Ferbert

President, AFFTER

Advocates for Fibromyalgia Funding,

Treatment, Education and Research

www.affter.org

Eight months of physical training in warm water improves physical and

mental health in women with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial.

J Rehabil Med. 2008 Apr;40(4):248-52.

Tomas-Carus P, Gusi N, Häkkinen A, Häkkinen K, Leal A, Ortega-Alonso A.

Department of Sport and Health, University of Evora, Reguengos de Monsaraz,

14.

PMID: 18382819

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of 8 months of supervised

exercise therapy in warm water and its effects on the impact of

fibromyalgia on physical and mental health and physical fitness in

affected women.

METHODS: Thirty women with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to an

exercise therapy group (n = 15) or a control group (inactive) (n =

15). The impact of fibromyalgia on physical and mental health was

assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the anxiety

state with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Physical fitness was

measured using the following tests: Canadian Aerobic Fitness;

hand-grip dynamometry; 10-metre walking; 10-step stair-climbing and

blind 1-leg stance.

RESULTS: After 8 months of training, the exercise therapy group

improved compared with the control group in terms of physical

function (20%), pain (8%), stiffness (53%), anxiety (41%), depression

(27%), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire total scores (18%),

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score (22%), aerobic capacity (22%),

balance (30%), functional capacity for walking (6%), stair-climbing

with no extra weight (14%) and stair-climbing 10 kg-weighted (25%).

CONCLUSION: Eight months of supervised exercise in warm water was

feasible and led to long-term improvements in physical and mental

health in patients with fibromyalgia at a similar magnitude to those

of shorter therapy programmes.

[Guest guest]

>Sheri;

OUr group leader for our fibro group here in Fl. got her Dr to

write her a script to get there pool heated to 92 degrees so she can

exercise in it. she does.also if yuor dr writs a script for a heated

pool or hot ub you can take of the differance in taxes to what it

takes to heat it from yuor regular light /water bill she told

us.Something to consider if any of the ladies/men have pools too.I

thuoght it was interesting too. HUgs heidi

> Source: J Rehabil Med. 2008 Apr;40(4):248-52

> Via Co-Cure

>

>

> The topic of exercising has come up in our group many times, often

met with

> emotional responses and reactions. This study is rather small, but

there

> seems to be a surge of studies that are trying to convince us that

some type

> of exercise is helpful for people with FMS.

>

> In our group, we concluded that it helps some, but not others. In

the

> survey AFFTER just launched that reaches beyond our group, I am

anxious to

> learn the results to our question about exercise... It will be

interesting

> to analyze our own data on the subject.

>

>

> Shari

>

> Shari Ferbert

> President, AFFTER

> Advocates for Fibromyalgia Funding,

> Treatment, Education and Research

>

> www.affter.org

>

>

> Eight months of physical training in warm water improves physical

and

> mental health in women with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled

trial.

>

> J Rehabil Med. 2008 Apr;40(4):248-52.

>

> Tomas-Carus P, Gusi N, Häkkinen A, Häkkinen K, Leal A, Ortega-

Alonso A.

>

> Department of Sport and Health, University of Evora, Reguengos de

Monsaraz,

> 14.

>

> PMID: 18382819

>

>

> OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of 8 months of supervised

> exercise therapy in warm water and its effects on the impact of

> fibromyalgia on physical and mental health and physical fitness in

> affected women.

>

> METHODS: Thirty women with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to

an

> exercise therapy group (n = 15) or a control group (inactive) (n =

> 15). The impact of fibromyalgia on physical and mental health was

> assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the

anxiety

> state with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Physical fitness was

> measured using the following tests: Canadian Aerobic Fitness;

> hand-grip dynamometry; 10-metre walking; 10-step stair-climbing and

> blind 1-leg stance.

>

> RESULTS: After 8 months of training, the exercise therapy group

> improved compared with the control group in terms of physical

> function (20%), pain (8%), stiffness (53%), anxiety (41%),

depression

> (27%), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire total scores (18%),

> State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score (22%), aerobic capacity (22%),

> balance (30%), functional capacity for walking (6%), stair-climbing

> with no extra weight (14%) and stair-climbing 10 kg-weighted (25%).

>

> CONCLUSION: Eight months of supervised exercise in warm water was

> feasible and led to long-term improvements in physical and mental

> health in patients with fibromyalgia at a similar magnitude to

those

> of shorter therapy programmes.

>

[Guest guest]

I believe exercising in warm water is beneficial. A few years ago I participated in water aerobics at a local school pool. The water was warm, I had less stiffness and pain, and I had good muscle tone because of the exercise. You don't feel any force on muscles and joints in water. But, the aerobics had to be moved to another pool because of problems with the filtering system that could not be fixed (the pool was closed and covered). However, the water at the high school pool was much cooler. I could not stand the temperature and had to stop the class. ElaineShari Ferbert <shari23@...> wrote: Source: J Rehabil Med. 2008 Apr;40(4):248-52Via Co-CureThe topic of exercising has come up in our group many times, often met withemotional responses and reactions. This study is rather small, but thereseems to be a surge of studies that are trying to convince us that some typeof exercise is helpful for people with FMS. In our group, we concluded that it helps some, but not others. In thesurvey AFFTER just launched that reaches beyond our group, I am anxious tolearn the results to our question about exercise... It will be interestingto analyze our own data on the subject.Shari Shari FerbertPresident, AFFTERAdvocates for Fibromyalgia Funding,Treatment, Education and Researchwww.affter.orgEight months of physical training in warm water improves physical and

mental health in women with fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial.J Rehabil Med. 2008 Apr;40(4):248-52.Tomas-Carus P, Gusi N, Häkkinen A, Häkkinen K, Leal A, Ortega-Alonso A.Department of Sport and Health, University of Evora, Reguengos de Monsaraz,14.PMID: 18382819OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of 8 months of supervised exercise therapy in warm water and its effects on the impact of fibromyalgia on physical and mental health and physical fitness in affected women.METHODS: Thirty women with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to an exercise therapy group (n = 15) or a control group (inactive) (n = 15). The impact of fibromyalgia on physical and mental health was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the anxiety state with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Physical fitness was measured using the following tests: Canadian Aerobic Fitness; hand-grip

dynamometry; 10-metre walking; 10-step stair-climbing and blind 1-leg stance.RESULTS: After 8 months of training, the exercise therapy group improved compared with the control group in terms of physical function (20%), pain (8%), stiffness (53%), anxiety (41%), depression (27%), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire total scores (18%), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score (22%), aerobic capacity (22%), balance (30%), functional capacity for walking (6%), stair-climbing with no extra weight (14%) and stair-climbing 10 kg-weighted (25%).CONCLUSION: Eight months of supervised exercise in warm water was feasible and led to long-term improvements in physical and mental health in patients with fibromyalgia at a similar magnitude to those of shorter therapy programmes. __________________________________________________