title: Effects of aerobic exercise on pain perception, affect, and level of disability in individuals with fibromyalgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic walking on the pain, disability, and psychological symptoms of individuals with fibromyalgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen subjects with fibromyalgia (2 men, 17 women), aged 30 to 69 years (mean = 49.35, SD = 11.83), participated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten subjects walked 20 minutes, three times per week, for 8 weeks at 60% to 70% of the predicted maximum heart rate for their age. Nine subjects served as sedentary controls. Each subject completed pretests and posttests of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Due to initial differences on all measures, final scores were adjusted and analyzed by an analysis of covariance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The experimental group had lower scores on the MPQ on two of the three BSI indexes, and on the Psychosocial Dimension scale of the SIP, but higher ratings on the Physical Dimension scale of the SIP than did the control group on final testing. Only the differences on one index of the BSI and the Physical Dimension scale of the SIP were significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study are inconclusive. There were trends suggestive of a beneficial response to aerobic walking (lower psychological and pain ratings) but limited significant findings and higher physical disability ratings, for these individuals with fibromyalgia.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Division, School of Allied Medical Professions, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1234.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Glenn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*