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The purpose of this longitudinal blood sampling study was to examine relationships between sex hormones and fibromyalgia pain. Eight women meeting case definition criteria for fibromyalgia provided venous blood samples and reported their fibromyalgia pain severity over 25 consecutive days. All women exhibited normal menstrual cycles and were not taking oral contraceptives. Cortisol, and the sex hormones estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, were assayed from serum. A linear mixed model was used to determine if fluctuations of sex hormones were associated with changes in pain severity. In the entire sample, day to day changes in progesterone (P = .002) as well as testosterone (P = .015) were significantly and inversely correlated with pain severity. There was no relationship between estradiol and pain (P = .551) or cortisol and pain (P = .633). These results suggest that progesterone and testosterone play a protective role in fibromyalgia pain severity. Sex and other hormones may serve to increase as well as decrease fibromyalgia pain severity. Perspective Sex hormones fluctuate normally in women with fibromyalgia, but may still contribute to pain severity.

Background: The COVID-19 lockdown period was the 1st time all group exercise was paused by government legislation. This provided a unique opportunity to assess how lack of group exercise impacted physical activity habits and wellbeing. This study used a combination of the Social Identity Approach (SIA) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to examine UK runners��� motivation, physical activity, and well-being during the pandemic. Purpose: To understand how running social identities, autonomy, and competence were associated with participants��� motivation for physical activity and well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: 602 runners living within the UK completed an online cross-sectional survey between the 15th-28th of June 2020. Participants completed self-reported measures about their demographics, running social identities, motivation, autonomy, competence, physical activity levels, and mental well-being. In addition, a sample of 138 participants also recorded behavioural data of their daily step count and total running mileage to compare April 2019 and April 2020. Results: Linear regressions demonstrated that identification with a running club was negatively predicted physical activity (�� = -.39. p < .01) while shared runner identity positively predicted mental well-being (�� = .24. p < .01. Competence positively predicted physical activity (�� = .29. p < .01) and mental well-being (�� = .28. p < .05). There was a statistically significant difference in daily step count and total running mileage between April 2019 and 2020 (p < .01); on average, participants took 1,700 fewer steps in April 2019 than April 2020, but increased their total running mileage by 12.26 miles. Conclusions: During the lockdown period participants decreased their daily step count but increased their total running mileage. The SDT variable competence, one���s perceived confidence and ability in a behaviour, was associated with maintenance of physical activity during lockdown. The SIA variables revealed that participants who identified with their running group decreased in physical activity during the lockdown period. However, despite the lack of physical group interaction, participants could still feel a shared psychological connection to the running community as a whole which was positively associated with mental well-being. This study revealed how one���s perceived competence in running and group memberships may be associated with physical activity levels and mental well-being during the lockdown period. Funding: Study founded by University of St Andrews St Leonard���s Interdisciplinary Scholarship Fund., The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, Vol. 14 No. 3 (2021): Proceedings from the 8th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress