Exercise for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) perceive greater fatigue when exercising than healthy controls, despite no measurable differences in muscle strength or fatigability. Because aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms in other chronic conditions, these investigators tested the effectiveness of a graded aerobic exercise program for patients with CFS.

Researchers randomized 66 patients with CFS who did not have a psychiatric or sleep disorder to receive 12 weeks of either increasing aerobic exercise training or a combination of flexibility training and relaxation therapy. Patients who completed the latter program were invited to subsequently cross over into the aerobic program.

Four patients assigned to aerobic exercise and …