Eight weeks of regular 4x4 intervals had no effect on pain, but improved the quality of life for women with lipoedema. Those with lipoedema tend to have a slim upper body, but abnormal accumulation of subcutaneous fat on the calves and thighs. The disease causes pain and discomfort in the legs, and for many the condition affects the quality of life.

The study included 22 overweight women with lipoedema, half of whom had the opportunity to attend organized high-intensity interval training sessions two days each week for eight weeks. They were also asked to carry out one weekly exercise session on their own. After the period, the women in the exercise group reported better general health, they felt less exhausted and experienced that they functioned better socially, compared to the eleven women who were told to live as before. The effect was most evident among those who had reduced weight and fat mass in their legs during the exercise period. The exercise intervention did not significantly alter body composition, but we saw tendencies towards reduced weight and hip circumference. In contrast to the control group, those who exercised also reduced the upper body fat mass.

The high-intensity interval training group improved their maximum oxygen uptake, but not significantly more than the participants in the control group. The interval training also did not reduce the levels of the inflammatory marker CRP, which could be due to that the participants had normal levels at baseline.

Read the three Master's theses:

Effects of high-intensity interval training on body composition and quality of life in women with lipedema

Effect of high-intensity interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition for women with lipedema 

The therapeutic potential of high intensity interval training among women with lipedema