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Efficacy of Myofascial Release Method on Pain and Disease Severity in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Ozlem Altindag* and Sahin Ozaslan

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a poorly understood chronic condition characterized by widespread muscle pain and tender points. Aerobic exercises, antidepressants, electrotherapy, acupunctur, psychotherapy, behavior therapy, massage used alone or in conjunction with one another, may provide some relief of clinical features. The study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Myofascial release (MFR) method on pain and disability level in patients with fibromyalgia.

Thirty-six fibromyalgia patients who applied MFR were scrutinized for pain intensity, disability and level of depressive symptoms. Pain intensity, disability and depressive symptoms were evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) respectively. Fibromyalgia is considered as neuropathic pain in recent years. Therefore, Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs (LANSS) was used for evaluating the neuropathic pain.

All subjects were evaluated at pre-intervention and post-intervention. Senior physiotherapist who experienced treating soft tissue rheumatism and advanced training in MFR delivered the therapy. MFR therapy consisted of prolonged assisted stretching of painful areas of soft tissue of the neck, back, arms, and legs.

The subjects were 37.5 ± 4.5 years of age, with fibromyalgia for 3.4 ± 1.9 years. There were no adverse events or early discontinuations. Recruitment was completed in three weeks. There were significant improvements in the mean score of VAS, FIQ total and HDRS scales after MFR therapy (p<0.001). There were no adverse effects seen during maintenance treatment.

MFR therapy may shed light on the management of FM as an effective and reliable method