Home-Based Stretching Program Shows Promise for Fibromyalgia Management

New research suggests a 6-week home-based stretching program is feasible and acceptable for individuals with fibromyalgia, with results indicating early improvements in quantitative outcomes including Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-R) scores, health-related quality of life, and perceived physical activity levels.1

The prospective feasibility study was designed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a home-based exercise intervention among people living with fibromyalgia. The program included 6 weeks of daily static stretching exercises for 6 minutes per day, which showed early benefits for several clinical outcomes that investigators plan to explore further in a randomized controlled trial.1

“The current treatment of [fibromyalgia] is based on symptom management and includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions,” Morten Støve, of the department of physiotherapy at the University College of Northern Denmark, and colleagues wrote.1 “Pharmacological treatment alone is often inadequate. Hence, multidisciplinary treatment programs are advocated for patients with [fibromyalgia].”

A chronic pain disorder primarily characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, effective treatment of fibromyalgia requires a multidisciplinary approach integrating patient education, regular physical activity, cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management, pharmacological interventions, lifestyle modifications, and the management of comorbid conditions. While exercise plays a key role in disease management, adherence can be challenging.1,2

To explore the feasibility and acceptability of a 6-week home-based stretching intervention for people with fibromyalgia, investigators conducted a prospective study using a pre-post design supplemented with online focus group patient interviews. People 18–55 years of age diagnosed with fibromyalgia in accordance with the ACR diagnostic criteria were recruited through posts from the Danish Fibromyalgia & Pain Association in the North Denmark Region and social media.1

The intervention comprised 6 weeks of daily static stretching exercises for 6 minutes per day in accordance with the recommendation of the American College of Sports Medicine. Following baseline assessments, each participant received individual instruction in the stretching protocol from a physiotherapist. Adherence was facilitated through a mHealth app where participants logged exercise dates, accessed video demonstrations, and communicated via text with the principal investigator.1

The primary outcome was participants’ experiences participating in the home-based intervention as assessed via semi-structured focus group interviews. Quantitative assessments included the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the SF-36, pressure pain thresholds, range of motion, and self-reported adherence.1

A total of 12 participants, all of whom were female, were recruited over 43 days. One participant withdrew from the study due to an illness unrelated to the study.1

Investigators noted the adherence rate was high, with data from the 11 participants who completed the intervention revealing a self-reported 91% (± 6.9%) adherence rate.1

Among the cohort, 8 of 11 participants participated in 2 online focus-group interviews, from which 4 major themes emerged:

• Factors motivating participation, including contributing to the development of better treatment options, learning how to incorporate exercise into everyday life, and a belief that the intervention was manageable.
• The advantages of exercising at home, including integration into daily life and convenience.
• Influence of weekly communication, including the ability to seek advice on making individual adjustments to exercises and finding comfort in knowing that assistance and guidance were available.
• Potential areas for improvement, including obstacles to successful participant recruitment and adapting exercises to meet individual abilities.

Further qualitative findings suggested the intervention was well tolerated and easily implemented in daily life. Specifically, investigators called attention to clinically relevant improvements in the FIQ-R Total score (mean change, 12 ± 8.3; P = .003), function (mean change, 2.5 ± 3.4; P = .036), symptoms (mean change, 6.8 ± 4.6; P = .005), overall impact (mean change, 3.2 ± 3.6; P = .015), and stiffness (mean change, 1.3 ± 2.1; P = .041). However, no clinically relevant differences were observed for pain (mean change, 1.2 ± 1.9; P = .065).1

While there were clinically relevant improvements in PCS (mean change, 3.8 ± 5.3; P = .026), MCS (mean change, 5.4 ± 6.1; P = .013), and participants’ self-perceived physical activity levels (P = .021), there were no clinically relevant changes in flexibility (mean change, 1.8°±14.9; P = .515) or pain sensitivity (mean change > 2.8 ± 23.6; P >.130).1

“​A 6-week home-based stretching program, supervised via an mHealth application, proved feasible and acceptable for individuals with [fibromyalgia] and showed promising clinical outcomes,” investigators concluded.1 “Based on insights from this feasibility study, an RCT is planned to evaluate whether the program of home-based stretching exercises provides greater benefits than usual care alone in enhancing quality of life and functional outcomes in patients with [fibromyalgia].”

References

1. Støve MP, Larsen LL, Magnusson SP, et al. Exploring the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a Home-Based stretching program for adults with fibromyalgia: a prospective Pre-Post feasibility study. Rheumatol Int. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-025-05921-4

2. Bhargava J, Goldin J. Fibromyalgia. StatPearls. January 31, 2025. Accessed August 15, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK540974/