Reviews
Vol. 33 No. 3 (2023)
https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2023.11423
The effectiveness of aerobic exercise for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 19 April 2023
Accepted: 5 June 2023
Published: 14 July 2023
Accepted: 5 June 2023
Published: 14 July 2023
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The effectiveness of exercise therapy is being increasingly studied in patients with fibromyalgia. The aim of our systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of different types of aerobic exercise programs for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia. The literature search was performed by two independent researchers in the PubMed, CINAHL and PEDro databases using various combinations of the following keywords: fibromyalgia, pain and aerobic exercise. Studies were eligible if they included adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia and examined the effectiveness of at least one aerobic exercise program on pain management. A total of 14 randomized controlled trials were screened in full-text, nine of which were included in the systematic review. Overall, our results indicate that aerobic exercise is effective for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia. The results of the aerobic exercise programs were more effective for pain management than stretching exercises, but did not differ significantly from those of pilates, muscle strengthening exercises, relaxation techniques and stress management treatment. Additional high-quality studies are warranted to determine accurate clinical guidelines in terms of aerobic exercise programs for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia.
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The effectiveness of aerobic exercise for pain management in patients with fibromyalgia. (2023). European Journal of Translational Myology, 33(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2023.11423
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