Putting Research into Practice: A Comprehensive 12 Week Exercise Protocol for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that most often affects young to middle-aged women. According to the American College of Rheumatology, it is diagnosed by the presence of widespread musculoskeletal pain for at least 3 months and excessive tenderness in at least 11 out of 18 defined tender points. Currently there are no definitive diagnostic laboratory tests or imaging for fibromyalgia. Its cause is still unknown. The purpose of this appraisal was to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic training-based exercise programs compared to other types of physical activity on the symptomatology of fibromyalgia. Searches on PubMed/MEDLINE databases using key words, pool exercise, fibromyalgia, aerobic fitness and home-based exercise, were performed to identify articles comparing different exercise regimens. A treatment protocol was developed based on the articles identified.