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Exercise therapy

Therapeutic Exercise for Fibromyalgia Management: A Systematic Review

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Therapeutic exercise is recommended as a non-pharmacological treatment for FMS management, but its effectiveness on clinical and psychosocial parameters remains uncertain. This systematic review aims to synthesize the available evidence on the impact of therapeutic exercise in patients with FMS, assessing both clinical outcomes (pain, physical function) and psychosocial outcomes (quality of life, psychological well-being).

Key Takeaways:

  • The review will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2014 and 2024 that evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise in adult patients with FMS.
  • A comprehensive literature search will be conducted in PubMed, PEDro, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL using predefined search strategies.
  • Study selection will follow a blinded process conducted by two independent reviewers, with any disagreements resolved by a third reviewer.
  • Data will be extracted and synthesized into tables and descriptive summaries, without the use of inferential statistical methods or meta-analysis.
  • The review will aim to synthesize the available evidence on the impact of therapeutic exercise in FMS, assessing both clinical outcomes (pain, physical function) and psychosocial outcomes (quality of life, psychological well-being).
  • The review will focus on adult patients with FMS, excluding children and adolescents.
  • The review will not include case reports, case series, or studies with inadequate reporting quality.

Statistics:

  • 2014-2024: The time period during which the review will include published RCTs.
  • 4 databases: The databases that will be searched for the review (PubMed, PEDro, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL).
  • 2 independent reviewers: The reviewers who will conduct the blinded search and selection process.
  • 3 reviewers: The reviewers who will resolve any disagreements during the selection process.
  • No inferential statistical methods: The review will not use inferential statistical methods or meta-analysis to analyze the data.

Sources:

  • (1) Background reference
  • (2) Therapeutic exercise treatment for FMS management
  • medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.27.25326100v1
  • PubMed
  • PEDro
  • Embase
  • Cochrane CENTRAL

Note: The provided text does not specify exact statistics or numbers beyond the listed time period (2014-2024).

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