Monday, December 3, 2007

Relationship between aerobic fitness and quality of life

Relationship between aerobic fitness and quality of life in female
fibromyalgia patients.

Clin Rehabil. 2007 Dec;21(12):1109-13.

Ayán C, Martín V, Alonso-Cortés B, Alvarez MJ, Valencia M, Barrientos MJ.

Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of
Physiology, University of León. cayan@edu.xunta.es .

PMID: 18042606


Objective: To determine whether there is a direct link between
quality of life and aerobic capacity among female fibromyalgia patients.

Design: Cross-section study.Setting: University of León.

Subjects: Twenty-nine women belonging to the León Fibromyalgia and
Chronic Fatigue Association.

Main measurements: Aerobic capacity and quality of life were measured
by means of the Six-Minute Walk Test and the Fibromyalgia Impact
Questionnaire. Outcome measures included heart rate and rate of
perceived fatigue and dypsnoea.

Results: The average distance walked was 432.8 (61.2) m and the total
average Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score was 47.5 (18.9). Only
item 1 of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, physical function,
showed any statistically significant link with the distance walked,
which had no statistically significant relationship with any of the
variables studied.

Conclusion: The physical fitness of women with fibromyalgia, as determined by the Six-Minute Walk Test and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, has no direct relation with quality of life as the patients perceive it.

* * *

In other words, the next time your doctor gives you the "simple solution" that all your problems can be cured by getting back in shape, you can tell him research has proven him wrong.  Fibromyalgia and CFS are not caused by deconditioning -- the deconditioning is usually a result of the disease making it impossible to continue your former activity level.

It's the easiest answer to give a patient, but it's not the best one.

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