Article

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), like patients with osteoporosis,
have similar difficulties in standing and sitting. The aim of the study was to
compare combined trunk and arm endurance between women with CFS (n = 72), women
with osteoporosis (n = 30), nondisabled women (n = 55), and women from
non-industrialized countries (n = 58) using the timed loaded standing (TLS) test.
TLS measures how long a person can hold a 1 kg dumbbell in each hand in front of
him/her with straight arms. TLS was higher in the industrialized nondisabled
population than in the non-industrialized study population (p < 0.001) and in
patients with osteoporosis (p = 0.002). TLS was lower in patients with CFS than
in nondisabled controls (p < 0.001). After adjustment for age, body height, and
weight, combined trunk and arm endurance was even lower in CFS than in
osteoporotic patients more than 25 yr old (p < 0.001). In CFS, TLS was lower
compared in the non-industrialized group (p = 0.02). Since only women were
studied, external validity of the results is limited to adult female patients
with CFS. TLS revealed a specific biomechanical weakness in CFS patients that can
be taken into account from the onset of a rehabilitation program. We propose that
influencing the quality, rather than the quantity, of movement could be used in
the rehabilitation.

Langue : ANGLAIS