Fibromyalgia and Exercise

Few people exercise regularly. Even though we all know we should, we have plenty of excuses – not enough time, can’t afford a gym membership, bad knees, and so on. When you add fibromyalgia to the mix, chronic pain and fatigue can make getting enough exercise seem impossible, even when we know how good it is for us. When getting through activities of daily living is painful, the idea of running a marathon seems impossible. The good news is that you don’t need to run a marathon to enjoy the benefits of exercise.

Fibromyalgia and exercise are not mutually exclusive. Regular, low-impact exercise can help people living with fibromyalgia to reduce their perception of pain. Plus, it can improve a patient’s ability to perform those necessary daily life activities.

Many people have a very limited perspective on exercise. If you’re not exhausted, it’s not effective. No pain, no gain. If you aren’t sweating profusely, it doesn’t count. No wonder no one wants to exercise – especially people with fibromyalgia. The first step is to talk to your physician before beginning any exercise program. Talk to your health care provider about exercise options and any considerations you should consider.
Next, think about what exercise options you have enjoyed in the past and which ones interest you now. Some possible low impact options include:

Tai chi
Swimming
Walking
Simple stretching
Yoga
Pilates
Light strength training

People with fibromyalgia should aim for 15-20 minutes of low impact exercise a few times a week. Many of those listed activities can be done at home or at a local YMCA. Every activity except swimming can be done with very little equipment and instruction other than a few instructional DVD’s. Even popular home gaming systems like Wii offer workout games for walking, stretching, yoga and balance to keep your interest high.

If you are ready to improve your mental and physical health, then start exercising today!