European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Our investigation was aim to study effect of underwater exercises on relieving the symptoms of fibromyalgia during postmenopausal life. Sixty women complaining from the symptoms of postmenopausal fibromyalgia were randomly selected according to American College of Rheumatology criteria from the physical therapy clinic in Horus University in Egypt to share in this study, their age ranged between 50-60 years old with at least 3-4 years post menopause. Their body mass index did not exceed 30 km/m2. A rheumatologist diagnoses all women as having fibromyalgia symptoms. Women were divided to 2 equal groups, (A) treated by Hydrotherapy in form of underwater exercises for four limbs and trunk while group (B) received land exercises for the four limbs and 2 times/ week for 8 weeks. Each session took about 30 minutes as the following: 5 minutes warming up, 20 minutes aerobics, strengthening and flexibility exercises for the upper and lower limbs, and trunk using the bodyweight and the resistance bands at different degrees of resistance as the patient's ability permitted and 5 minutes of cooling down. Women in the usual care group received general physical activity guidelines. Exercise interventions had aerobics, muscular strengthens and flexibility. Weight and height scale was used to assess BMI, VAS was used to assess pain, and FIQ using for assessment the fibromyalgia-depending on symptom for both groups A and B before and after treatment. Results of the study found that, BMI, VAS and FIQ showed no significant differences between both groups A and B before treatment. After treatment, VAS in (A) showed decreasing in mean when comparing to its corresponding values(B), Also the value of FIQ in group A showed a statistically significant decrease when comparing to its corresponding values(B).
It can be concluded that underwater exercises are very effective in treating fibromyalgia postmenopausal symptoms.