Muscle and functional parameters of mid-age women with fibromyalgia and healthy elderly

Goes SM, Bento PCB, Stefanello JMF, El Tassa KOM, Homann D, Leite N, Rodacki ALF. Muscle and Functional Parameters of Mid-Age Women with Fibromyalgia and Healthy Elderly. JEPonline 2013;16(3):20-29. Mid-age subjects with fibromyalgia show reduced ability to perform daily-life activities, which is also seen in the elderly. The impairment force generation may be a factor that influences the functional performance. Fifty women (16 mid-age with fibromyalgia syndrome--FS, 16 healthy mid-age--CG, and 18 healthy elderly HE) were assessed. The 8 ft up and go, sit and reach, and the 30 sec chair stand tests were used to assess functional performance. The peak torque was determined by maximal voluntary isometric contraction-MIVC (hip, knee, and ankle joints) using a load cell. FS and HE groups showed lower performance (p0.05). Both FS and HE groups showed lower knee extensor torque when compared to HC group (P