Citation

Martínez-Amat A, Hita-Contreras F, Latorre-Román PA, Gutierrez-López MD, García-Pinillos F, Martínez-López E. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2014; 28(11): 3146-3154.

Affiliation

1Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain. Fax: +34953012141. 2Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine (IBIMER), Dept. Anatomía y Embriología, Facultad de Medicina, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. 3Research group HUM943 Laboratory. Department of Didactic of Body Expression. University of Jaén (Spain). E-23071 Jaén, Spain. Fax: +34953212488.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, National Strength and Conditioning Association)

DOI

10.1519/JSC.0000000000000503

PMID

24787674

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of weekly physical activity on the risk of falls and the impact of fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms on daily function in Spanish women. Fibromyalgia is a common widespread pain condition that has been linked to an increased risk of falling and a low amount of guided physical activity, defined as regular participation in moderate-intensity exercise. Prior to the development of fall-risk reduction interventions, it is essential to understand the context of falls and fall-related experiences in patients with fibromyalgia. Ours was a descriptive, longitudinal study wherein 140 women participated, all aged 28-73 and belonging to AFIXA, the Fibromyalgia Association of Jaén, (Andalusia, Spain). The study took place during 2013; data were collected via fall diaries, interviews and questionnaires.

RESULTS showed that weekly physical activity can explain up to 12% of the variance in the fear of falling and 18% of the number of falls per year in patients with fibromyalgia. However, the weekly physical activity prediction against the perceived impact of FM yielded R values below 10% in the three factors as well as in the total score of the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-R). Inactive women were proven to have a significantly higher number of falls per year than active ones (1.86 ±1.46 vs 0.69 ±0.43, p<0.001), but their fear of falling was similar (P>0.05). In addition, physically active women had a significantly lower intensity in the symptoms of their condition (FIQ-R symptoms: 30.87±8.58 vs 34.78±7.58 a.u., p=0.014), and lower scores in the total score of the FIQ-R (54.33 ±21.50 vs. 65.19 ±19.27 a.u., p=0.004).

RESULTS show that, with at least one hour per session of guided physical activity, a higher weekly number of sessions reduced the fear of falling in patients with FM as well as the total number of falls per year, and is associated with less severe symptoms (FIQ-R3).

Language: en