Muscle strength, voluntary activation and cross-sectional muscle area in patients with fibromyalgia

The objectives were to determine whether the low muscle strength in fibromyalgia is due to lack of exertion and to determine the relation between strength and muscle area. Secondarily we examined the voluntary muscle strength of the different muscles of the leg. The twitch interpolation technique was used to estimate the degree of central activation and the 'true' quadriceps muscle strength. Muscle cross-sectional area was determined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The estimated 'true' muscle strength was 91 Nm (S.D. = 34 Nm) in 15 fibromyalgia patients compared with 125 Nm (28 Nm) in 14 healthy controls (P < 0.02). The 'true' strength divided by the sum of the maximal areas of the four bellies of the quadriceps muscle was lower, being 1.56 Nm/cm2 (0.32 Nm/cm2) in fibromyalgia patients compared with 2.11 Nm/cm2 (0.39 Nm/cm2) in the controls (P < 0.001). The voluntary muscle strength of the flexor muscles of the knee and of the plantar flexors of the ankle was markedly reduced in patients, but no significant differences could be observed in the strength of the dorsal flexors of the ankle. In conclusion, a reduction of the estimated 'true' quadriceps muscle strength per unit area of about 35% was found in fibromyalgia patients.