title: [The fibromyalgia treatment with physical exercise in warm water reduces the impact of the disease on female patients' physical and mental health].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fibromyalgia (FM) patients present pain, muscle stiffness, reduced physical condition and fatigue that limit their daily life activities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of 12 weeks of physical exercise in warm water to usual medical care on the impact of FM on physical and mental health in female patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty four physically untrained females with FM were randomly assigned into two groups: an experimental group (n=17), to perform 3 weekly sessions for 60 minutes of physical exercise in warm water; and control group (n=17), who did not receive the additional treatment. The impact of the FM on patients' physical and mental health was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 weeks of physical exercise, the experimental group showed improvements compared to the control group in physical function (35%, P=0.016), feel good (34%, P=0.003), job ability (14%, P=0.046), pain (26%, P=0.030), stiffness (33%, P=0.038), anxiety (36%, P=0.044), depression (26%, P=0.046), and FIQ total scores (27%, P=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of the aquatic physical exercise programme to usual care was effective to decrease the impact of the disease on physical and mental health. However, the placebo effect could have contributed to this effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud y de Bienestar. Universidad de Évora. Évora. Portugal.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomas-Carus
authors.forename: Narcís
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gusi
authors.forename: Alejo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortega-Alonso