Pedometer-Determined Physical Activity in Women Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a pain syndrome identified by fatigue, disrupted sleep patterns, and chronic total body pain. It has been shown that women with FM have lower levels of strength and aerobic capacity, and it is widely recognized that exercise is valuable in managing FM symptoms. Although studies exist showing the benefits of structured exercise protocols, currently there are no data to show pedometer-determined daily physical activity levels in this population. PURPOSE: To examine baseline pedometer scores and symptoms in women with FM. METHODS: Twenty-one women diagnosed with FM (48 ± 9 years; mean ± SD) were recruited and instructed to wear a pedometer during all waking hours, except when in water. Participants wore the pedometer for four consecutive weeks and recorded the total number of steps for each day in an activity log. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) was completed by each subject to assess disease impact, with higher scores signifying greater impact. Pearson correlations were used to evaluate the relationships between variables. Significance was accepted at p < 0.05. RESULTS: BMI and ambulatory activity at baseline were 31.0 ± 6.9 kg/m2 and 6159 ± 3477 steps/day, respectively. These step values indicate that these women are classified as “low active,” (accumulating 5000–7499 steps/day) as indicated by pedometer indices suggested by Tudor-Locke and Bassett (Sports Medicine, 2004). Although this population was categorized as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2), there was no significant correlation between steps/day and BMI. There was a negative correlation between steps/day and FIQ scores, however it failed to reach statistical significance (r =−0.415, p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that women with FM are relatively inactive and may benefit from a step-based program to increase overall ambulation, which may be important in reducing symptoms and the comorbidities associated with FM.