What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted an observational longitudinal study to assess changes in neuromuscular efficiency (NME) using surface electromyography (sEMG) in 22 fibromyalgia patients undergoing 20 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
What They Found
After 20 sessions of HBOT, NME significantly increased from 1.6±1.1 to 2.1±0.8 (p=0.050) in the fibromyalgia patients. Maximal strength, however, did not change (49±20 N before vs. 49±19 N after the first session, p=0.792). This indicates that HBOT improved the central motor command's ability to generate effort with fewer muscle fibers.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with fibromyalgia, these findings suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a beneficial treatment to improve neuromuscular efficiency and potentially reduce muscle fatigue. This therapy may help the brain more effectively control muscle effort, leading to better functional outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian researchers or participants.
Study Limitations
The study was an observational longitudinal design with a small sample size of 22 patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.