The following is a summary of “Impact of rumination on fibromyalgia pain after physical activity: an experimental study,” published in the November 2023 issue of Rheumatology by Neves et al.

With fibromyalgia (FM), some patients adopt rumination, defined as a repetitive, passive, and largely uncontrollable chain of negative thoughts, as a coping mechanism amid the persistent pain and discomfort experienced during daily activities. The partial model of rumination in chronic pain suggests that such ruminative processes could contribute to perpetuating the experience of pain. Moreover, it’s posited that rumination might hinder the successful reintegration of suitable physical activity.

This study aimed to assess how induction of rumination versus distraction affects pain intensity, pain-related discomfort, and emotional state in FM patients after physical activity. Forty-seven individuals diagnosed with FM were randomly assigned to undergo either distraction induction or rumination induction after participating in physical activity in a real-life setting. Their pain intensity, discomfort associated with pain, and emotional state were assessed at baseline, following physical activity, and after rumination versus distraction induction.

Analysis through mixed-design ANOVAs revealed that rumination subsequent to physical activity impairs the recovery process regarding pain intensity and discomfort among patients. However, unlike the distraction condition, it did not significantly affect their emotional state.

In conclusion, individuals with fibromyalgia who engage in post-activity rumination exhibit a lesser recovery from their pain experiences compared to those engaged in distraction induction. These findings align with the partial model of rumination in chronic pain, suggesting that rumination might play a contributory role in both the development and persistence of pain.

This study sheds light on the impact of rumination on fibromyalgia patients’ post-activity recovery, emphasizing its potential role in perpetuating pain experiences. The observed impairment in pain recovery following rumination aligns with existing models linking rumination to chronic pain, indicating its potential causal involvement in the persistence of pain among FM patients.

Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-023-47414-z