title: A randomized controlled trial of muscle strengthening versus flexibility training in fibromyalgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of a muscle strengthening program compared to a stretching program in women with fibromyalgia (FM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight women with FM were randomly assigned to a 12 week, twice weekly exercise program consisting of either muscle strengthening or stretching. Outcome measures included muscle strength (main outcome variable), flexibility, weight, body fat, tender point count, and disease and symptom severity scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences between groups were found on independent t tests. Paired t tests revealed twice the number of significant improvements in the strengthening group compared to the stretching group. Effect size scores indicated that the magnitude of change was generally greater in the strengthening group than the stretching group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with FM can engage in a specially tailored muscle strengthening program and experience an improvement in overall disease activity, without a significant exercise induced flare in pain. Flexibility training alone also results in overall improvements, albeit of a lesser degree.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Oregon Health and Science University, Portland 97201, USA. joneskim@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Kim Dupree
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Burckhardt
authors.forename: Sharon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Potempa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D010147:Pain Measurement; D018583:Pliability; D016896:Treatment Outcome