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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Physiol.
Sec. Exercise Physiology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1414100
This article is part of the Research Topic Muscle Oxygenation and Vascular Adaptations in Sports Performance and Rehabilitation View all articles

Comparative Efficacy of Neuromodulation and Structured Exercise Program on Pain and Muscle Oxygenation in Fibromyalgia Patients: A Randomized Cross-Sectional Study

Provisionally accepted
Alejandro Rubio-Zarapuz Alejandro Rubio-Zarapuz 1María Dolores Apolo-Arenas María Dolores Apolo-Arenas 2Jose Francisco Tornero Aguilera Jose Francisco Tornero Aguilera 1*José Parraça José Parraça 3Vicente Javier Clemente Suarez Vicente Javier Clemente Suarez 1
  • 1 European University of Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain
  • 2 University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
  • 3 University of Evora, Évora, Portugal

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study investigates the comparative efficacy of neuromodulation therapy using the EXOPULSE Mollii Suit and a structured exercise program in pain modulation and muscle oxygenation in Fibromyalgia patients. A randomized, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental study design was employed, involving 10 female Fibromyalgia patients. Participants were subjected to two distinct treatment modalities: neuromodulation therapy with the EXOPULSE Mollii Suit and a strength-based High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise program, each conducted over 16 sessions. Outcome measures included pain severity, assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and muscle oxygenation variables measured via Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). Both interventions demonstrated significant reductions in NRS scores and improvements in muscle oxygenation. However, the exercise program yielded more pronounced long-term basal adaptations in muscle oxygenation compared to the neuromodulation therapy. The findings underscore the potential of integrating non-pharmacological treatments, particularly structured exercise programs, in managing Fibromyalgia. While neuromodulation therapy presents a viable alternative, the exercise regimen's capacity to induce basal muscle oxygenation adaptations suggests its superiority in addressing the complex symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Furthermore, these therapeutic approaches may enhance patients'

    Keywords: Fibromyalgia1, Neuromodulation Therapy2, Exercise Program3, Muscle Oxygenation4, Pain Modulation5, HIIT6

    Received: 08 Apr 2024; Accepted: 03 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Rubio-Zarapuz, Apolo-Arenas, Tornero Aguilera, Parraça and Clemente Suarez. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jose Francisco Tornero Aguilera, European University of Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.