Affiliations: Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet
Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden | Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of
Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | University Department of Rehabilitation Medicine,
Danderyd University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Monika Löfgren, University
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Danderyd University Hospital, bldg 39,
3rd floor, SE-182 88 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 655 78 13; E-mail:
monika.lofgren@ki.se
Abstract: Purpose: This study sought to investigate whether patients with
fibromyalgia (FM) are able to perform a work task and home care tasks with less
muscle activity, recorded as surface EMG, after a rehabilitation programme as
compared to before rehabilitation. Method: Muscle activity in shoulder and arm muscles was
measured with surface EMG during a job task and three housework tasks before
and after an individually adjusted rehabilitation programme for 16 female
patients with FM. Ten healthy women were measured in the same way. Pain
intensity and perception of exertion were assessed with Borg's CR100 scale
after every activity. Results: The patients decreased their muscle activity more
than the healthy subjects did in the trapezius pars descendens of the
non-dominant side during computer typing and ironing. A decrease in pain
intensity and perceived exertion after the computer typing and ironing
coincided with the decreased muscle activity. Conclusion: Patients with FM are able to learn to perform a
work task and a home-care task with less muscle activity in trapezius pars
descendens after a rehabilitation programme. Decreased pain intensity and
perception of exertion may indicate that these two experiences accompany the
decrease in muscle activity.
