Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of strengthening exercises using the Swiss ball in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Material and Method: Sixty FM patients were randomized into two groups: an intervention group (IG), in which patients performed muscle strength exercises using the Swiss ball, and a stretching group (SG), in which patients performed stretching exercises. All patients participated in 40-minute training sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. The IG performed the following eight strengthening exercises using a Swiss ball: lateral rise, simultaneous biceps curl, squat, two arms triceps extension, abdominal, one arm dumbbell row, reverse crucifix and crucifix. The SG performed exercises targeting the same muscle groups trained in IG. Outcome measures were as follows: visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, 1 repetition maximum test for muscle strength; fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) to evaluate disease impact, and short form health survey (SF-36) to assess quality of life. All participants underwent an evaluation at baseline, at 6 weeks and at 12 weeks of training. The assessor was blind to patient allocation.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
60
This group performed eight muscle strengthening exercises using a Swiss ball of 65 cm diameter and dumbbells with different loads. Each training session was 40 minutes long and was performed three times a week for 12 weeks. The exercises were performed in three sets of 12 repetitions, with an interval of one to two minutes of recovery between exercises, which alternated between upper limbs, lower limbs and abdomen. The load used was 60 % of one repetition maximum (1RM).
The stretching group performed stretching exercises that targeted the same muscles trained in the IG. The participants remained in the stretched position for three sets of 30 s for each exercise. The total session time was 40 minutes.
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Changes in Pain - VAS
Time frame: Basline, after 6 and 12 weeks
Changes in quality of life - Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline, after 6 and 12 weeks
Changes in muscle strength using the maximum repetition (1 RM)
Time frame: Baseline, after 6 and 12 weeks
Changes in consumption of analgesics
Time frame: After 6 and 12 weeks from baseline
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