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Dosage of resistance exercises in fibromyalgia: evidence synthesis for a systematic literature review up-date and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Several studies have examined the effect of different types of exercise on people with fibromyalgia. The aim of this study was to identify which dosage of resistance training is effective to reduce pain in women with fibromyalgia. Two authors independently selected studies included in a Cochrane Systematic Review and from an updated search up to May 2021 using the following databases: Embase, Central, Lilacs, PEDro, Current Controlled Trials, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Scopus and ISI Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with female patients (18 years of age or older) diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and the intervention, resistance exercises for pain reduction. The pain outcome value was extracted from studies for meta-analysis. Nine RCTs were included. Compared to the control groups, resistance exercise groups demonstrated a clinically and statistically significant effect on pain reduction when each exercise was performed in 1–2 sets or 3–5 sets of 4–12 or 5–20 repetitions twice a week, for 8–12 weeks, at intensities of 40–80% with one repetition maximum or perceived exertion. Resistance training exercises are effective to reduce pain in women with fibromyalgia when performed at moderate-to-high intensity in 1–2 sets of 4–20 repetitions twice a week, for 8–12 weeks. The protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) platform, CRD42018095205.

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The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the authors of the Busch's Cochrane SR (2013) who provided their systematic search and shared the references of their included RCTs.

Funding

The authors received financial support from Fundação de Ensino e Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde (Fepecs), number: No. 00064-0000417/2018-52.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Mestrado Profissional, Escola Superior em Ciências da Saúde, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Juliana Moura da Silva

  2. Programa de Pós Graduação Interdisciplinar em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil

    Brenison Souza de Barros

  3. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Gustavo J. Almeida

  4. School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, 43 Bruyere street, Ottawa, ON, K1N5C7, Canada

    Jennifer O’Neil

  5. Programa de Mestrado Profissional e Acadêmico em Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Saúde Baseada em Evidências, Escola Superior em Ciências da Saúde, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Aline Mizusaki Imoto

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  1. Juliana Moura da Silva
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  2. Brenison Souza de Barros
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  3. Gustavo J. Almeida
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  4. Jennifer O’Neil
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Contributions

JMS: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. BSB: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. GJA: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. JO: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. AMI: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Correspondence to Brenison Souza de Barros.

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da Silva, J.M., de Barros, B.S., Almeida, G.J. et al. Dosage of resistance exercises in fibromyalgia: evidence synthesis for a systematic literature review up-date and meta-analysis. Rheumatol Int 42, 413–429 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-021-05025-9

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