The effectiveness of aerobic exercise for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia

Eur J Transl Myol. 2023 Jul 14;33(3):11423. doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2023.11423.

Abstract

The effectiveness of exercise therapy is being increasingly studied in patients with fibromyalgia. The aim of our systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of different types of aerobic exercise programs for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia. The literature search was performed by two independent researchers in the PubMed, CINAHL and PEDro databases using various combinations of the following keywords: fibromyalgia, pain and aerobic exercise. Studies were eligible if they included adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia and examined the effectiveness of at least one aerobic exercise program on pain management. A total of 14 randomized controlled trials were screened in full-text, nine of which were included in the systematic review. Overall, our results indicate that aerobic exercise is effective for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia. The results of the aerobic exercise programs were more effective for pain management than stretching exercises, but did not differ significantly from those of pilates, muscle strengthening exercises, relaxation techniques and stress management treatment. Additional high-quality studies are warranted to determine accurate clinical guidelines in terms of aerobic exercise programs for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia.

Grants and funding

Funding: The study was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency through the research program KINSPO - Kinesiology for the effectiveness and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in sports (P5-0443), but the authors certify that they have not received any other financial compensation for this research from any funding agency in commercial or profit sectors.