According to a study published in 'Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation', the patterns of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) executed in bouts ≥ 10 min were independently linked to the better symptom profile, regardless of physical fitness and sedentary time.

The investigators of this study examined the possible link of non-bouted moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and patterns of MVPA in bouts ≥ 10 min with pain, physical fatigue and disease severity in women with fibromyalgia. They tested if these associations are independent of sedentary time (ST) and physical fitness (PF) or not.

This cross-sectional study was performed from November 2011 - January 2013 set in university facilities and fibromyalgia associations with a total of 439 (51.3±7.6 years old) women participants with fibromyalgia.

ST and MVPA were calculated using the triaxial accelerometry, and PF with the help of Senior Fitness test battery. Pain, physical fatigue and disease severity were assessed with different questionnaires.

The total time in non-bouted MVPA only was independently linked with lower physical fatigue and disease severity in women with fibromyalgia, regardless of PF but not of ST. The patterns of bouted MVPA were all in all linked with symptoms independently of ST or PF. After controlling for ST or PF, the strongest regressor was the maximum time in MVPA bout (min/bout), which was congruously and independently linked with pain, physical fatigue and disease severity. The patients following the bouted physical activity guidelines depicted lower disease severity as compared to those not meeting guidelines (bouted or non-bouted).