Effects of pompage associated with aerobic exercises on pain, fatigue, and sleep quality in female patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study

ABSTRACT Aiming at evaluating the effects of pompage as a complementary therapy to aerobic exercises and stretching on pain, fatigue, and sleep quality in women with fibromyalgia, 23 women with this diagnosis were allocated randomly in the groups: Experimental (EG, n = 13) and Control (CG, n = 10). Subsequently, they were assessed using McGill Pain Questionnaire, Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, and Sleep Inventory. For 12 weeks, twice a week, the EG made pompage, aerobic exercises, and stretching, while the CG only aerobic exercises and stretching. Evaluation was repeated after 6 and 12 weeks. We had sample losses totaling 15 individuals (EG, n=7/CG, n=8). We used ANOVA for repeated measurements in the statistical analysis, followed by the T test for independent samples with significant differences (p≤0.05). There was a significant reduction of McGill Pain Questionnaire joint score after 12 weeks in the EG compared with CG. There were not significant changes in other aspects evaluated for pain, fatigue and sleep quality. Therefore, we suggest that pompage as a complementary therapy to aerobic exercises and stretching did not have beneficial effects on women with fibromyalgia, since there was improvement in only one aspect of the pain evaluated. Studies with larger samples are necessary for a more consistent analysis of the results investigated.