Health-Related Physical Fitness in Women with Fibromyalgia Syndrome or Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Abstract

Background: We evaluated health-related physical fitness in women with fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS] and myofascial pain syndrome [MPS].

Method: Thirty women with FMS, 30 women with MPS, and 30 healthy normal controls [HNC] were studied. Musculoskeletal pain was evaluated with a visual analog scale [VAS] and physical fitness was determined by the ability to perform a variety of physical fitness tests.

Results: With a significantly higher mean VAS score, the FMS group had the highest rating of perceived exertion, the lowest total treadmill time, maximum heart rate, and the poorest performance in all fitness measurements. Ratings of perceived exertion were higher; vertical jump, modified pushup, sits up, handgrip strength tests were lower in the MPS compared with the HNC.

Conclusions: Compared to healthy subjects, FMS adversely affected the physical fitness performance of the subjects to a greater degree than did MPS.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• musculoskeletal pain
• cardiovascular endurance
• fitness