Aquatic exercise therapy in fibromyalgia treatment: serie of cases.

  • Samara Tanaka dos Santos Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR
  • Ligia Maria Facci Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR
Keywords: Fibromyalgia, Hydrotherapy, Exercises.

Abstract

This study had as its purpose verify the effects of water physiotherapy program in pain intensity, the number of painful points of the human body and quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. The study was done at Cesumar physiotherapy clinic. After selecting all the included patients were evaluated through a pre-elaborated card with Pain Visual Analog Scale, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, besides investigations about linked complaints. The treatment was composed by 20 water physiotherapy sessions, three times a week, with 5 people in each group, lasting 45 minutes each session. After selecting 19 patients were included, being 18 women and just one man, mean age 49, 63 years old. Through revaluation, it was possible to verify a meaningful statistically improvement related to the number of painful points of the human body (p=0,016) in pain intensity (p=0, 04) and in some Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire items. It could be concluded that the elaborated water program contributed to the patient clinical state improvement in a short time. It can be believed that the ongoing aquatic exercise therapy can be considered an important option in fibromyalgia treatment.

Author Biographies

Samara Tanaka dos Santos, Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR
Fisioterapeuta graduada no Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR. E-mail: samarats@hotmail.com
Ligia Maria Facci, Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR
Doutora em Ciências da Saúde pela Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP; Docente do Departamento de Fisioterapia do Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR. E-mail: ligiafacci@cesumar
Published
2009-10-05
Section
Relato de Casos