SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2025
Optimal aerobic exercise dose for pain relief in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disorder marked by widespread pain. While aerobic exercise (AE) is widely recommended, its isolated effect and the optimal regimen and dose remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the independent effect of pure AE on pain in FMS and identify the most effective exercise parameters and dose-response relationship. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science up to June 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining AE's effect on FMS pain. Subgroup analyses were performed by age, baseline pain level, exercise type, and protocol characteristics. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and dose-response relationships were explored. Results: Fourteen RCTs with 777 participants were included. AE significantly reduced pain compared with controls [SMD = -1.07; 95% CI: -1.57 to -0.57], especially in patients aged 45-60 years and those with chronic severe pain. The most effective intervention was moderate-intensity, water-based AE performed for 60 min per session, 1-2 times weekly, over 12-16 weeks. Dose-response analysis identified an optimal dose of 470 MET-min/week [SMD = -1.71; 95% CrI: -1.90 to -1.14], with an effective range of 75-750 MET-min/week. Conclusion: This meta-analysis confirms the efficacy of AE in reducing pain in FMS. AE significantly alleviates pain in fibromyalgia, with moderate-intensity, water-based, showing the most effective results. These findings provide strong evidence for incorporating AE as a key non-pharmacological strategy in the management of fibromyalgia, especially for patients with more severe pain. The identified optimal exercise parameters offer clear guidance for clinical practice, supporting the use of tailored exercise regimens in patient care. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/, identifier CRD420251086595.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.