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Effects of a short-term aquatic exercise intervention on symptoms and exercise capacity in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a pilot study

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This pilot pre-and post-intervention study investigated the effects of a short-term aquatic exercise programme on physiological outcomes, symptoms and exercise capacity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

Methods

Eleven women (54.8 ± 12.4 year) volunteered for the 5-week program; an initial 20-min aquatic exercise session then two self-paced 20-min sessions per week for 4 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention outcomes were physiological measures, 6 min Walk Test (6MWT), perceived exertion (RPE), hand grip strength, Sit-to-Stand, Sit-Reach test, Apley’s shoulder test, FACIT questionnaire, and 24-h post-test tiredness and pain scores (0–10 visual analogue scale). Heart rates, RPE, 24- and 48-h post-session tiredness/pain scores were recorded each session.

Results

6MWT distance increased by 60.8 m (p = 0.006), left hand grip strength by 6 kg (p = 0.038), Sit-Reach test by 4.0 cm (p = 0.017), right shoulder flexibility by 2.9 cm (p = 0.026), FACIT scores by 8.2 (p = 0.041); 24-h post-test tiredness and pain decreased by 1.5 and 1.6, respectively (p = 0.002). There were significant post-intervention increases in exercising heart rates (6MWT 4- and 6-min time points), oxygen saturation at 2-min, and reduced RPE at 4-min. Weekly resting and exercising heart rates increased significantly during the study but RPE decreased; immediately post- and 24-h post-session tiredness decreased significantly. There were no reports of symptom exacerbation.

Conclusions

Five weeks of low-moderate intensity aquatic exercise significantly improved exercise capacity, RPE and fatigue. This exercise mode exercise may potentially be a manageable and safe physical activity for CFS/ME patients.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BPM:

Beats per minute

CFS:

Chronic fatigue syndrome

COPD:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ES:

Effect size

FACIT:

Functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue

FMS:

Fibromyalgia syndrome

HR:

Heart rate

ME:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis

MS:

Multiple sclerosis

PEM:

Post-exertional malaise

POTS:

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

ROM:

Range of motion

RPE:

Rate of perceived exertion

SD:

Standard deviation

6MWT:

6-min walk test

SNS:

Sympathetic nervous system

SPSS:

Statistical package for the social sciences

TSD:

Time since diagnosis

TSSO:

Time since symptom onset

VAS:

Visual analogue scale

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge that this study was supported in part by an internal seed grant from Southern Cross University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health and Sports Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia

    Suzanne Broadbent

  2. School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia

    Sonja Coetzee & Rosalind Beavers

Authors
  1. Suzanne Broadbent
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  2. Sonja Coetzee
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  3. Rosalind Beavers
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Contributions

SC and SB conceived and designed the research. All authors conducted data collection. SB analysed the data and created the tables. SC created the figures. All authors developed, read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne Broadbent.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Communicated by Fabio Fischetti.

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Broadbent, S., Coetzee, S. & Beavers, R. Effects of a short-term aquatic exercise intervention on symptoms and exercise capacity in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a pilot study. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 1801–1810 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3913-0

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