Psychophysiological Fatigue Response of a Fibromyalgia Patient: A Case Control Report

Abstract

Physical exercise is a useful model to assess the psychophysiological response of people with FM to fatigue. Thus, the present case-control report aimed to analyze the psychophysiological response of a young fibromyalgia patient and a control participant without fibromyalgia during a muscle fatigue protocol. With this aim, a 27-year-old female fibromyalgia patient with a 4-year diagnosis and a healthy 28-year-old female control participant were analyzed. The psychophysiological response of both participants was measured at 3 different points, baseline, right after the fatigue protocol (20 repetitions of knee flexion-extension of the dominant leg at 180º·s-1), and 6 min after ending the fatigue protocol. Results showed a more drastic cardiovascular response during the fatigue protocol with no increase in pain perception, and an increase in strength production in the fibromyalgia patient. Further on, differences were found on fatigue protocol recovery, not showing recovery at a subjective level (RPE), while showing it at an objective level (heart rate). On this line, we can conclude that the fibromyalgia patient analyzed presented differences in its psychophysiological response to a fatigue protocol compared to the control subject analyzed. Highlighting that after recovery, heart rate values indicate an objective recovery of the patient. While the rate of perceived exertion and pain visual scale increased showing how the patient’s perception of recovery was not the same. Therefore, strategies to promote the recovery of people with FM are recommended considering the results of the present case control study. As such, fibromyalgia patients’ recovery and fatigue mechanisms should be further explored in future research