The patterns of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) executed in bouts ≥ 10 min were overall consistently and independently concerned with core symptoms (pain and fatigue) in fibromyalgia and overall disease severity, despite the sedentary time (ST) or physical fitness (PF), according to a study published in 'Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation'. 

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, 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 justifying the bouted physical activity guidelines depicted lower disease severity as compared to those not meeting guidelines (bouted or non-bouted) and those with non-bouted physical activity guidelines.

"As per the results, longer bouts of continuous MVPA are linked with better symptoms profile in this population, which needs to be corroborated in longitudinal research", said Segure Jimenez et al.