Doctors recommend exercise for fibromyalgia patients, including cardiovascular, stretching, and strength training. Walking, warm water workouts, and yoga are good options. Start small and listen to your body.
People with fibromyalgia often find exercise difficult because of the pain, but doctors stress that exercise will do no harm and may actually help alleviate some symptoms of the disease. Doctors generally recommend cardiovascular exercises, stretching, and strength training. Exercises may include water aerobics, yoga, walking, and weight lifting. The best exercise for fibromyalgia comes down to individual choice: if the patient enjoys exercising, she will stick with it. Exercises that increase your heart rate, such as jogging, bicycling, or swimming, should be done at a low intensity, especially at the beginning of a new exercise regimen.
One of the easiest exercises for fibromyalgia is walking. Patients should start with short walks and slowly increase the time. At first, the pace may be slow, and a little walking, even all the way in and back, may be all a patient can do for the first few days. Distances can be slowly increased over time to build cardiovascular strength. Walking with a friend or a dog can also be a great motivational tool.
Warm water exercise programs are also good for fibromyalgia sufferers. Water cushions the body and exercising in warm water is easier on the system than swimming in a cold pool. Many community centers and health clubs now offer warm water workouts, sometimes called “aqua-cize,” where instructors guide participants through a series of gentle aerobic exercises. The water provides resistance and the exercises can be done at an individual pace.
Another essential component of exercises to relieve fibromyalgia is daily stretching. A stretching program can help reduce muscle tension, increase overall mobility, and improve oxygen flow to the muscles. Stretching can be done anywhere without any special equipment. Yoga and tai chi are good styles of exercise that incorporate stretching and slow movement. The classes can be found at most health clubs or even on DVDs for use at home.
Strength training may seem like it causes more muscle soreness, but a light program can help your body get stronger overall. The best approach may be to focus on areas that are currently pain free first. If your leg muscles are the problem, for example, starting with seated bicep curls might be a good idea. Or if your upper body hurts, leg raises to strengthen your quads might be a good option. The exercises can be done with very light weights or using your own body to resist. Just ten repetitions per day can increase muscle strength and control.
Any exercise program for fibromyalgia must be, above all, realistic. Doctors generally recommend starting as small as necessary, even if that’s just five minutes a day. Fibromyalgia sufferers need to slow down and listen to their bodies, knowing that some days they won’t be able to do as much. Establishing an exercise habit will eventually lead to more energy and less pain.
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