Jo Nijs

Source: ResearchGate

Jo Nijs, PT, MT, PhD, is an associate professor in Physiotherapy, Human Physiology, and Anatomy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. He is a physiotherapist/manual therapist at the University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium and holder of the Chair 'Exercise immunology and chronic fatigue in health and disease' funded by the European College for Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy. He runs the international research group "Our Pain in Motion" which studies the interactions between pain and body movement and focuses on central sensitization in various chronic pain disorders including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Notable studies

• 2018, Cerebral Blood Flow and Heart Rate Variability in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Randomized Cross-Over Study (Full Text)
• 2017, Influence of morphine and naloxone on pain modulation in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia and controls: a double blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over study (Abstract)
• 2017, Endogenous Pain Facilitation Rather Than Inhibition Differs Between People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, and Controls: An Observational Study (Full Text)
• 2017, The Role of Autonomic Function in Exercise-induced Endogenous Analgesia: A Case-control Study in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Healthy People (Full Text)
• 2016, Editorial Comment - Rehabilitation for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: time to extent the boundaries of this field (Full Text)
• 2014, Altered immune response to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a systematic literature review (Full Text)
• 2013, The role of mitochondrial dysfunctions due to oxidative and nitrosative stress in the chronic pain or chronic fatigue syndromes and fibromyalgia patients: peripheral and central mechanisms as therapeutic targets? (Abstract)
• 2012, Pacing as a strategy to improve energy management in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a consensus document (Abstract)
• 2010, Unravelling the nature of postexertional malaise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of elastase, complement C4a and interleukin-1beta. (Full text)
• 2004, Review - Gulf War Veterans: Evidence for Chromosome Alterations and Their Significance (Abstract)
• 2003, Associations between bronchial hyperresponsiveness and immune cell parameters in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome(Abstract)
• 2003, Deregulation of the 2,5A Synthetase RNase L Antiviral Pathway by Mycoplasma spp. in Subsets of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Full Text)
• 2003, Comparison of Activity Limitations/Participation Restrictions Among Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients (Abstract)
• 2003, Immunophenotyping Predictive of Mycoplasma Infection in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Abstract)
• 2003, Monitoring a Hypothetical Channelopathy in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Preliminary Observations (Abstract)
• 2002, High prevalence of Mycoplasma infections among European chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Examination of four Mycoplasma species in blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients (Full Text)
• 2002, Activity Limitations and Participation Restrictions in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome—Construction of a Disease Specific Questionnaire (Abstract)

Talks and interviews

• 2015, Exercise therapy for chronic pain: retraining mind & brain
• 2014, Treatment of central sensitization pain: targeting bottom-up or top-down mechanisms?

Online presence

• RearchGate
• PubMed
• The World Confederation for Physical Therapy Biography

Learn more

• Pain in Motion Research Group

cerebral 1. of or relating to the brain or the intellect 2. of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum.

double blinded trial A clinical trial is double blinded if neither the participants nor the researchers know which treatment group they are allocated to until after the results are interpreted. This reduces bias. (Learn more: www.nottingham.ac.uk)

endogenous Growing or originating from within an organism.

mitochondria Important parts of the biological cell, with each mitochondrion encased within a mitochondrial membrane. Mitochondria are best known for their role in energy production, earning them the nickname "the powerhouse of the cell". Mitochondria also participate in the detection of threats and the response to these threats. One of the responses to threats orchestrated by mitochondria is apoptosis, a cell suicide program used by cells when the threat can not be eliminated.

post-exertional malaise (PEM) - A notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small physical or cognitive exertions. PEM may be referred to as a "crash" or "collapse" and can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain, trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, and others.

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

pacing The practice of staying within one's "energy envelope" or personal limit by combining periods of activity with periods of rest or avoiding exerting beyond a certain level. ME/CFS patients use pacing to avoid or reduce post-exertional malaise (PEM). Some patients use a heart rate monitor to help with pacing.