The effect of 6-week exercise programme and whole body vibration on strength and quality of life in women with fibromyalgia: a randomised study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 6-week traditional exercise programme with supplementary whole-body vibration (WBV) in improving strength and health status in women with fibromyalgia (FM).


METHODS
Thirty postmenopausal women with FM (mean (SD) age: 59 (7.90) years) were randomised into one of two groups, one intervention group (GEV n=15), which combined exercise training (two days a week) with three days of WBV (3 sets of 45 s at 20 Hz-3 mm and four sets of unilateral static squats at 20 Hz-2 mm) and another control group (n=15), that performed the same physical activity programme but without vibration training (GEnV). The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the global score of the SF-36 were used to assess functional capacity and quality of life. Two additional tests were employed to assess muscle strength. Baseline data and pre-test and post-test data were collected before and after the six-week intervention period.


RESULTS
Significant improvements in all outcomes measured were found from baseline in both groups. A 5% improvement from baseline in total FIQ score was observed in the exercise groups (p≤0.05), and was accompanied by reductions in SF36 scores of 9.8% (p<0.001) and 7.9% (p<0.001) in the GEV and GEnV group, respectively. Improvements were also observed in muscle strength in both groups but greater in the GEV group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that women with FMS can gain additional health benefits by engaging in a 6-week traditional exercise programme with supplementary WBV.
Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Seville, Seville, Spain. bsancor@us.es
B
B
Sañudo
M
M
de Hoyo
L
L
Carrasco
J G
JG
McVeigh
J
J
Corral
R
R
Cabeza
C
C
Rodríguez
A
A
Oliva
D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055070:Resistance Training; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*