The efficacy of the Resseguier method in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomised controlled trial

Objectives. In fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) defined rehabilitation guidelines are yet to be validated. Our aim is to evaluate the efficacy of the Resseguier method (RM) in FMS. Methods. Forty-one patients were randomly assigned to Interventional (22 pts) and Observational (19 pts) Group (IG and OG). The study lasted 8 months. Patients were assessed at baseline (TO) after a 2-month rehabilitation (T1) and at a 6-month follow-up (T2) (only IG) with SF-36 Physical (PSI) and Mental Synthetic Index (MSI), Regional Pain Scale (RPS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Number Rating Scales 0-10 to measure pain, movement quality, sleep, relax ability, analgesics number/per week. OG patients maintained their lifestyle for the duration of the study. RM aims to obtain patient awareness and control of bodily perceptions, thus reaching a modulation of responses to pain. Therapist controls patient attention and perception by verbal and manual contacts and leads them to perform bodily and respiratory active and conscious movements. Results. In IG, at T1 all items were improved: PSI and MSI (p<0.001 and =0.001), FIQ (p<0.0001), RPS (p<0.001), pain (p<0.0001), movement quality (p=0.001), relax ability (p<0.0001), sleep (p<0.001); analgesics number/per week was reduced (p<0.001). All results obtained at T1, except FIQ, were maintained at T2. In OG at T1 versus TO, no difference in any of the assessed parameters was observed. Conclusion. In FMS patients, the rehabilitation with RM improves HRQoL, FMS-related disability and perceived pain, thus reducing the assumption of analgesics.