Land- and pool-based intervention in female fibromyalgia patients: A randomized-controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a standard physical rehabilitation intervention (SPRI) program, in pool-based (SPRI-P) and land-based (SPRI-L) environments, applied to female fibromyalgia (FM) patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms during a period of 20 weeks. Patients and methods: Between September 2016 and September 2017, a total of 73 female FM patients (mean age 48.2±6.8 years; range, 30 to 59 years) who suffered from FM were included in this study on a voluntary basis. The SPRI program was applied to the patients for 20 weeks. The severity of FM was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. The dependent variables including selfperceived pain, perceived fatigue, aerobic capacity, depressive symptoms, and the overall impact of FM were evaluated. Results: Self-perceived pain, perceived fatigue, overall impact of FM (p<0.05) and depressive symptoms (p<0.001) of the participants in the SPRI-P program decreased in the post-test values, compared to the pre-test values. Using the SPRI-L program, a significant improvement in the aerobic capacity (maximum consumption of relative oxygen and distance in meters), overall impact of FM (p<0.05), and depressive symptoms (p<0.01) was observed. Conclusion: Our study results indicated that the SPRI-P program yielded improvements in patients with FM in self-perceived pain, perceived fatigue, depressive symptoms, and overall impact, as well as improving the aerobic capacity. In addition, in the SPRI-L program, the participants increased their capacities, self-perceived pain, and overall impact of FM.