Abstract
Objective
To compare the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity
continuous training (MICT) combined with strengthening and stretching exercises in
patients with fibromyalgia.
Design
Interventional, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.
Setting
Outpatient rehabilitation center.
Participants
Women with fibromyalgia (N=60) were randomized to HIIT, MICT, and control groups.
Interventions
HIIT included a 5-minute warm-up at 50% of peak heart rate and 4 cycles of 4 minutes
at 80%-95% of peak heart rate followed by 3-minute recovery intervals at 70% of peak
heart rate. MICT consisted of 45 minutes at 65%-70% of peak heart rate. Each aerobic
training session was followed by standardized strengthening and stretching exercises.
The programs performed using cycle ergometers for 5 sessions per week for 6 weeks.
The control group did not participate in any supervised exercise sessions.
Main Outcome Measures
The primary outcome measure was the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). The secondary
outcome measures were visual analog scale for pain, Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36),
cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), and body composition parameters.
Results
Fifty-five participants completed the study. There was no significant difference in
FIQ between HIIT vs MICT (1.03; 95% CI, −9.67 to 11.75) after treatment. Group-time
interactions were significant for the FIQ between interventions and control (HIIT
vs control, −16.20; 95% CI, −27.23 to −5.13 and MICT vs control, −17.24; 95% CI, −28.27
to −6.22) (all P<.001). There were significant group-time interactions for the pain, SF-36, and CPET
parameters between treatments and control (all P<.05). Body weight, fat percentage, fat mass, and body mass index improved significantly
(all P<.05) only in the MICT group after treatment.
Conclusions
The HIIT plus strengthening and stretching exercises and MICT plus strengthening and
stretching exercises interventions showed significant improvements for the effect
of fibromyalgia, pain degree, functional capacity, and quality of life compared with
the control group. HIIT was not superior to MICT. Furthermore, body composition parameters
were improved significantly only for the MICT group.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
BMI (body mass index), CPET (cardiopulmonary exercise test), FIQ (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire), HIIT (high-intensity interval training), MICT (moderate-intensity continuous training), SF-36 (Short Form-36 Health Survey), VAS (visual analog scale), Vo2peak (peak oxygen consumption)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 21, 2020
Footnotes
Clinical Trial Registration No.: NCT03924960
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
