In 2014, a randomized clinical trial led by Maria Bernadete Renoldi Oliveira Gavi and colleagues explored the impacts of strengthening exercises on women with fibromyalgia (FM). The study aimed to determine whether such exercises could influence autonomic modulation, pain perception, and quality of life (QOL) in FM patients.

Autonomic dysfunction is thought to play a significant role in the myriad of symptoms experienced by those with FM. While exercise is known to be beneficial for FM, the specific effects of strengthening exercises on the autonomic nervous system remain unclear.

In this study, 80 sedentary women diagnosed with FM were randomly assigned to participate in either strengthening (STRE) or flexibility (FLEX) exercises. The STRE regimen was designed to be of moderate intensity, at 45% of the estimated load of 1 Repetition Maximum (RM), covering 12 different exercises.

The outcomes measured included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis, treadmill test performance, the sit and reach test, maximal repetitions test, handgrip dynamometry, and several quality of life assessments such as the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Beck and Idate Trait-State Inventory (IDATE), and the short-form health survey (SF-36).

Results indicated that the STRE group experienced significant improvements in muscle strength and pain management after 4 and 16 weeks. Conversely, the FLEX group showed notable improvements in anxiety levels. Both exercise groups reported enhancements in overall quality of life, with no significant difference between the two. Importantly, neither group exhibited changes in HRV, suggesting that strengthening exercises do not affect autonomic modulation.

The findings underscore that while strengthening exercises can substantially enhance pain relief, muscle strength, and quality of life for FM patients, they do not appear to influence the autonomic system. This highlights that targeting autonomic modulation might not be a viable clinical objective for managing fibromyalgia symptoms.

This study adds valuable insight into the specific benefits of different types of exercise for FM patients, emphasizing the need for personalized exercise regimens to optimize symptom management and improve quality of life.

Reference: Gavi, M. B. R. O., Vassalo, D. V., Amaral, F. T., Macedo, D. C. F., Gava, P. L., Dantas, E. M., & Valim, V. (2014). Strengthening exercises improve symptoms and quality of life but do not change autonomic modulation in fibromyalgia: a randomized clinical trial. PloS one, 9(3), e90767.