INTRODUCTION: The physical exercises have been beneficial for the control of the fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of stretching exercises to aerobic exercises on pain, number of tender points, sleep, anxiety and depression of patients with FM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with diagnosis of FM according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were divided into two groups: the stretching group, with 12 patients, performed a program composed by 45 minutes eight sessions of stretching exercises once a week, and the aerobic group, with seven patients, carried out walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Both groups received orientation to exercise at home on the other days. Pain intensity, tenderness threshold at the tender points, sleep, anxiety and depression were evaluated by, respectively, visual analogic scale, dolorimeter, Post Sleep Inventory (PSI), Trait-State Anxiety Inventory (IDATE) and Beck Depression Scale (BDS). RESULTS: The data show that the clinical improvement was higher in the stretching group in relation to pain (25%), number of tender points (15%), sleep (38%) and depression (22%), compared to aerobic group (clinical improvement in pain was 2% and in sleep, 4%; the number of tender points and depression became worse, respectively 3% and 18%). The anxiety clinical improvement was more important in the aerobic group (8% in the trait anxiety and 10% in the state anxiety) compared to stretching group (the trait anxiety become worse at 3% and the state anxiety clinical improvement was 2%). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the stretching exercises are more effective than the aerobic exercises on pain, number of tender points, sleep and depression in FM. On the other hand, the aerobic exercises seem to produce a more important effect on anxiety reduction compared to stretching exercises.
Fibromyalgia; Therapeutics; Physical therapy
