BackgroundMuscle stretching exercises preserve corporal flexibility and decrease the retraction and shortening of myofascial and articular structures. These exercises are recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM). The purpose of the study was to verify and compare the effect of muscle stretching exercises on FM patients based on the global posture reeducation method against segmental muscle stretching exercises, both used in concert with an educational approach rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy.MethodsForty adults with FM were randomly allocated into two groups: global and segmental. The two kinds of therapies were performed in 10 individual sessions once a week. Two assessments were made: one at baseline and one at the end of therapy. The primary outcome variable was pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale). The secondary outcome variables were multidimensional pain (McGill Pain Questionnaire), the pain threshold at tender points (dolorimetry), attitudes toward chronic pain (Survey of Pain Attitudes-Brief Version), body posture (Postural Assessment Software Protocol), postural control (Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), the impact of FM on quality of life (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, FIQ), and self-reported perceptions and body self-care.ResultsAt the end of treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the outcome variables. Furthermore, the groups presented lower pain intensity (baseline vs. final; global group: 6 ± 1.8 vs. 2.2 ± 1.6 cm,p<0.01; segmental group: 6.3 ± 2.1 vs. 2.5 ± 1.7 cm,p<0.01), higher pain threshold (p≤ 0.01), lower total FIQ score (p< 0.01), and greater postural control (p< 0.01) after treatment.ConclusionsMuscle stretching exercises based on global posture reeducation and segmental muscle stretching exercises, both used in concert with an educational approach rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, reduced the pain intensity and impact of FM on quality of life. These exercises also improved FM patients’ pain threshold at tender points, attitudes toward chronic pain, and postural control. There were no differences between global posture reeducation and segmental muscle stretching exercises.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT02384603. Registered on 10 March 2015.