Physiotherapy group treatment for patients with fibromyalgia--an embodied learning process.
OBJECTIVE
To study how patients with fibromyalgia (FM) experienced physiotherapy group treatment comprising pool exercise and education.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with FM were interviewed and the transcribed interviews were analysed using a phenomenological life-world approach. The participants' mean age was 45 years and their mean symptom duration was 10 years.


RESULTS
Physiotherapy group treatment was experienced as an embodied learning process, comprising the themes: positive experience of body, sharing experiences of living with FM and creating new patterns of acting. The positive experience of body comprised the following categories: experiencing relaxation, experiencing physical capacity, acknowledging limitations and changing the pattern of activity. Sharing experiences comprised the following categories: not being alone and sharing joy. Three patterns of participation were identified: reciprocity, distancing and remaining outside. Creating new patterns comprised the following categories; calming down, creating a new relationship to self, creating a new relationship to social roles and creating new patterns for managing pain.


CONCLUSIONS
The study indicates that physiotherapy group treatment was experienced as an embodied learning process. Positive experiences of body were intertwined with a new relationship to self and objects in the world. Interactions between the co-participants promoted the process of creating new patterns of thinking and acting in the social world.
Mannerkorpi
Kaisa
K
Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. kaisa.mannerkorpi@rheuma.gu.se
Gard
Gunvor
G
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006126:Group Processes; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods*