Evidence suggests that exercise may accomplish this dual effect by mitigating feelings of pain and reducing depressive symptoms, as well as improving both physical and mental health outcomes. Studies conducted on exercise for fibromyalgia may provide important information about the effects of exercise on pain that can be extended to mood disorders given that fibromyalgia is frequently associated with depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder [77, 78]. For example, Ellingson et al. found that a short session of moderate intensity cycling mediated pain modulation in patients with fibromyalgia [31]. Similarly, a 12-week randomized controlled trial in women diagnosed with fibromyalgia found that swimming and walking significantly reduced pain and improved functioning and quality of life [33]. Given the promising data on exercise as a treatment for pain in individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia, exercise warrants further investigation as an adjunctive treatment for mood disorders that could specifically improve comorbid pain.
