Mediating role of physical activity in the relationship between exercise-induced muscle pain and symptom severity in women with fibromyalgia

ABSTRACT

Background

Individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) exhibit generalized hyperalgesia to pain stimuli, and physical activity (PA) is critical to manage FM symptoms.

Purpose

This study examined the relationship between exercise-induced muscle pain, symptom severity, and PA in 28 women with FM.

Methods

Muscle pain rating (MPR) was assessed during 3 minutes of submaximal isometric handgrip exercise, whereas PA and symptom severity were evaluated via self-report questionnaires. The analysis examined the relationship between the variables, with the specific interest in the mediating role of PA in the relationship between exercise-induced muscle pain and symptom severity.

Results

MPR was positively associated with symptom severity (b = 1.89; 95% CI = 0.01, 3.76; P = .048) and inversely associated with PA levels (b = −0.16; 95% CI = −0.30, −0.03; P = .021). PA levels were inversely associated with symptom severity (b = −7.94; 95% CI = −12.46, −3.42; P = .001). After statistically controlling for PA levels, the relationship between MPR and symptom severity was no longer significant (b = 0.60; Wald 95% CI = −1.05, 2.25; P = .474).

Conclusion

Results show the link between the variables, and specifically demonstrate that PA mediates the relationship between exercise-induced muscle pain and symptom severity.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• muscle pain
• pain processing
• symptom management
• fibromyalgia

Ackowledgement

The authors thank undergraduate graduate research assistants who contributed to data collection and preliminary data analysis for the present study. This work was supported by a John J. Bonica Fellowship from the International Association for the Study of Pain and an INTRA Grant from the University of Texas at San Antonio to MU, and a Career Development Award from the Colorado Clinical and Translational Institute (NIHKL2RR025779) to KSM.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the International Association for the Study of Pain [John J. Bonica Fellowship]; Colorado Clinical and Translational Institute [NIHKL2RR025779]; University of Texas at San Antonio [INTRA Grant].