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Exercise Produces Some Similar Effects In Healthy And Fibromyalgic Women

A DGReview of : " Effects of Strength Training on Muscle Strength,

Cross-Sectional Area, Maximal Electromyographic Activity, and Serum Hormones

in Premenopausal Women with Fibromyalgia "

Journal of Rheumatology

06/19/2002

By Anne MacLennan

Resistance training in both women with fibromyalgia and those who are

healthy are completely comparable in terms of the magnitude and time course

of adaptations of the neuromuscular system.

This is one finding of a study in Finland of the effects of strength

training on muscle strength, cross-sectional area, maximal electromyographic

activity and serum hormones in premenopausal women with fibromyalgia.

Keijo Hakkinen and colleagues from the University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla

did this study with others from the University of Oulu, Oulu; Central

Finland Health Care District, Jyvaskyla; University of Kuopio, Kuopio; and

Peurunka Medical Rehabilitation and Physical Exercise Centre, Laukaa.

Study results also indicate basal levels of the anabolic hormones are

similar in women with fibromyalgia and healthy women of the same age.

Participants were 21 premenopausal women with fibromyalgia who were randomly

assigned to 21 weeks of strength training (FMT; 11 women) or to a control

group (FMC; 10 women). Another 12 premenopausal sedentary healthy women

served as healthy controls (HC).

Researchers measured surface electromyographic (EMG) activity, maximal

unilateral isometric force of the right knee extensors and muscle

cross-sectional area (CSA) of the quadriceps femoris (QF) throughout the

lengths of 3/12 to 12/15 of the femur (Lf).

Serum concentrations of total and free testosterone and growth hormone (GH)

were analysed at rest and in pre- and post-exercise conditions; levels of

insulin-like growth factor and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were measured

at rest only.

Mean (SD) maximal force increased by 18 percent (10 percent) in the FMT

group and by 22 percent (12 percent) in the HC group. In the FMC group, it

remained unchanged.

Maximum integrated EMG of the agonists increased in HC by 22 percent and in

the FMT by 19 percent.

There were significant increases in the CSA of the QF at five to 12/15 Lf in

the FMT group and at three to 12/15 Lf in the HCs. In the FMC group, the CSA

remained unchanged.

There were no training induced changes observed in basal concentrations of

serum hormones examined.

A significant acute increase occurred in mean concentration of GH at

pre-training in the HC and the FMT groups, while at post-training the

elevations after the loading remained elevated up to 15 min in the HC and up

to 30 min post-loading in the FMT group.

The observations recorded during the acute loading conditions may indicate

training induced adaptation of the endocrine system, suggesting the acute GH

response may become systematic after strength training in both women with FM

and controls, authors conclude.

J Rheumatol 2002;29:1287-95