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Fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in chronic-fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: state of the art and implications for clinical practice

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Abstract

Severe exacerbation of symptoms following physical activity is characteristic for chronic-fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). These exacerbations make it understandable for people with CFS and FM to develop fear of performing body movement or physical activity and consequently avoidance behaviour toward physical activity. The aims of this article were to review what measures are available for measuring fear of movement and avoidance behaviour, the prevalence fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity and the therapeutic options with fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in patients with CFS and FM. The review revealed that fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity is highly prevalent in both the CFS and FM population, and it is related to various clinical characteristics of CFS and FM, including symptom severity and self-reported quality of life and disability. It appears to be crucial for treatment (success) to identify CFS and FM patients displaying fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity. Individually tailored cognitive behavioural therapy plus exercise training, depending on the patient’s classification as avoiding or persisting, appears to be the most promising strategy for treating fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in patients with CFS and FM.

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Abbreviations

FM:

Fibromyalgia

CFS:

Chronic-fatigue syndrome

TSK:

Tampa scale of kinesiophobia

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Acknowledgements

Mira Meeus is an awardee of the 2012 early research career grant of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).

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None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pain in Motion research group, Department of Human Physiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Building L-Mfys, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Jo Nijs, Nathalie Roussel, Jessica Van Oosterwijck, Margot De Kooning, Kelly Ickmans & Filip Struyf

  2. Chronic Pain and Chronic Fatigue Research Group (CHROPIVER), Division of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Department of Health Care Sciences, Artesis University College Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Nathalie Roussel, Jessica Van Oosterwijck, Filip Struyf & Mira Meeus

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

    Jo Nijs, Margot De Kooning & Kelly Ickmans

  4. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Nathalie Roussel & Filip Struyf

  5. Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium

    Jessica Van Oosterwijck & Mira Meeus

  6. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Mari Lundberg

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  1. Jo Nijs
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Correspondence to Jo Nijs.

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Nijs, J., Roussel, N., Van Oosterwijck, J. et al. Fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in chronic-fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: state of the art and implications for clinical practice. Clin Rheumatol 32, 1121–1129 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-013-2277-4

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