Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that leads to chronic, diffuse pain and the presence of pressure sensitive points. In addition to pain, people with fibromyalgia have unrefreshing sleep and chronic fatigue, leading to poor quality of life. Added to this, people with fibromyalgia are not very responsive to pharmacological treatment, therefore, physiotherapy, especially with manual therapy techniques, has become an excellent therapeutic option for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

To evaluate the influence of myofascial release techniques on pain symptoms, physical capacity, quality of life and sleep in women diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

This is a clinical, prospective case series study. Ten women, aged 54.5±10.2 years, diagnosed with fibromyalgia for at least six months, attending the extension project “Collective physical therapy care for people with fibromyalgia” at our institution were studied. Before and after the intervention period, participants underwent pain assessment with a visual analogue scale (VAS), which was also applied before and after a single session, quality of life with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and sleep with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). As well as assessment of physical capacity with the sit and stand test (TSL), handgrip and time up and go (TUG). The intervention protocol consisted of manual and instrumental myofascial release techniques, applied in the back region and painful points. Participants received eight sessions, lasting 30 minutes, twice a week, over four weeks.

A significant reduction in pain was observed, both acutely, after one session (VAS from 4.1±1.7 to 1.3±1.1; p=0.002), as well as chronically, after the intervention period (VAS from 6.2±2.9 to 2.3±1.5; p=0.006). A significant improvement in quality of life (FIQ from 59.3±7.8 to 33.6±9.1; p=0.0002) and sleep (PSQI from 11.1±5 to 8.9±3 .4; p=0.03). There was a reduction in the time spent to perform five repetitions in the TSL from 17.3±5.8 to 13.5±3.9 seconds (p=0.003), as well as an increase in the number of repetitions over 30 seconds of the TSL from 8.2±3.3 for 11.1±2.6 repetitions (p=0.002). Despite documenting a reduction in TUG performance time from 11.4±8.3 to 8.6±1.3 seconds (p=0.08) and an increase in handgrip strength from 37.2±17.3 to 45.8±12.9 Kgf (p=0.07), these changes were not statistically significant.

Myofascial release was able to reduce pain in women with fibromyalgia. The reduction in pain was accompanied by an improvement in quality of life, sleep, and physical capacity. We suggest that new studies with a more representative sample, with a control group or a group with other interventions, such as classic massage and physical training, are important for the continuity of this line of investigation.

Myofascial release is an effective technique for physical therapists who treat women with this syndrome, demonstrating a positive effect on several aspects of this syndrome.