Loss of cervical lordosis and association of fibromyalgia syndrome

Aim: The causes of chronic and widespread pain in fibromyalgia (FMS) have not been elucidated yet.Previous reports determined that posture control changed, muscle strength decreased, body posture was misaligned (maladaptive posture), and functional capacity decreased in FMS patients.The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between loss of cervical lordosis, pain, quality of life (QOL), and neck disability in patients with FMS.Methods: A total of 107 FMS (88 females and 20 males; age range of age: 18-65) were included in the study.Patients were divided into two groups according to the angle of cervical lordosis measured by the Cobb method, group 1 with a Cobb angle of ≤10°, and group 2 with an angle greater than >10°.Visual Analog Scale (VAS), QOL (36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36)), and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were used to assess pain, overall quality of life, and functional disability, respectively.Results: The scores of VAS and NDI were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2, indicating worse pain, impaired functional disability, and QOL in FMS patients with loss of cervical lordosis.All SF-36 subgroups but energy/fatigue, scores were also lower in group 1 than in group 2, indicating more impairment in patients with loss of cervical lordosis.Conclusion: Our results indicated that loss of cervical lordosis adversely affected the widespread pain, neck disability, and healthy related QOL in patients with FMS.