Is active commuting associated with sedentary behaviour and physical activity in women with fibromyalgia? The al-Ándalus project

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to examine the association between active commuting and sedentary time (ST) and physical activity (PA) in women with fibromyalgia. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study included 420 women with fibromyalgia (aged 30 to 74 years old) from Spain. The participants wore an accelerometer during seven days to record ST and PA. They also self-reported patterns of active commuting. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between commuting and accelerometer outcomes. Age, pressure pain threshold, and accelerometer wear time were used as confounders. Results There was a negative association between active commuting and ST whereas active commuting was positively associated with moderate PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, total PA, and step count (all p ≤ 0.01). No associations were observed in the older group. Conclusion Younger women with fibromyalgia who were active commuters spent less ST and were involved in greater PA than passive commuters. This study highlights the importance of promoting active commuting to increase PA among young women with fibromyalgia, while other sources of PA might be recommended for older patients if levels of active commuting are not increased. Implications for rehabilitation Active commuting is a source to increase PA in women with fibromyalgia. Active commuting alone does not seem to be enough to increase PA levels in older women with fibromyalgia and additional PA strategies should be implemented. Promotion of active commuting in young women with fibromyalgia is recommended.