I have a confession. I’ve not been exercising like I should. And, now my body is starting to let me know. It’s beginning to remind me just why exercise is so important, especially when you have fibromyalgia.
Instead of planned regular exercise, I’ve been over-doing it in other ways. I’ve been spending a couple of days a week doing manual labor (mostly painting) to get my house ready to sell. This is still exercise, just not really a good kind that is helpful. Instead, I’m over-doing it on one day resulting in being too fatigued to do what my body needs regularly.
I pushed too hard and worked two days in a row a couple of weekends only to find I was worthless for the next week. Through trial and error I’ve found I can work two days a week, but I need to separate those by several days, and I also need to be very careful to listen to my body and stop before I’m worn out.
I’ve been doing things that I could not have done at all several years ago. I’m thankful for that. But, I need to be mindful that I still have limitations.
If you’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you probably walked out of the doctor’s office with instructions to exercise, but likely no explanation as to why. Like me, you probably left feeling as if you’d just been told you’re a lazy SOB, and fibromyalgia is all your fault for not exercising enough (no matter how much you were exercising before).
Newsflash: You’re not lazy. But, exercise is important and there’s good reasons it’s often one of the first things doctor’s suggest (unfortunately, they don’t go about this conversation the right way most of the time).
Exercise can help improve symptoms of fibromyalgia. But, if you struggle to exercise with #fibromyalgia that doesn't mean you are lazy. You have to start slow. Moderation is important. Share on XI have found that I need to two do things regularly, I need to stretch and I need to walk. Not fast. I don’t do speed-walking. Just a casual, gentle pace. And, the stretching, I’m not talking about intense yoga or pilates. Although, if that’s your jam, go for it. I’m just talking about gentle stretches to keep my muscles loose.
But, why is exercise important when you have fibromyalgia?
There has probably been more research on exercise for fibromyalgia than just about any other treatment. A 2011 review looked at the many studies that had come before finding that low-to-moderate planned exercise was beneficial for reducing fibromyalgia symptoms.
The type of exercise rarely seems to matter, as everything from strength training to yoga, water aerobics to tai chi has been studied with much the same results.
Exercise can improve overall sense of well-being, improve sleep, and even decrease overall pain experience.
But, how does exercise help fibromyalgia symptoms?
Exercise improves many of the symptoms related to fibromyalgia, although it’s not always clear how it does so. Improved blood flow and oxygen circulation can decrease pain and fatigue. But, exercising also increases neurotransmitters and hormones in the body that can decrease fatigue and pain, while also improving sleep.
- Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, improves oxygen flow throughout the body’s tissue, improving overall circulation.
- Low tissue oxygenation has been found to be an issue in those with fibromyalgia.
- Exercise can help boost endorphins and serotonin, which can help improve the mental symptoms (anxiety, depression, stress) associated with fibromyalgia.
- Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is also involved in pain modulation. Low serotonin has been correlated to increased pain.
- Exercise improves overall sleep time & quality.
Why is exercise important for fibromyalgia? Share on X
While the studies show benefits from all types of exercise. The 2011 review broke down the different types of exercise to show which ones helped in what ways.
- Pain was reduced most by combination exercise (any combination of strength, aerobic, and flexibility).
- Overall health was improved most through strength training.
- Physical function was most improved via strength training, aquatic exercise, and mixed programs.
- Depression was improved most via strength training and aquatic exercise
- Fatigue showed only a small improvement through aerobic exercise.
When it comes down to it, the type and duration of exercise that will be beneficial depends on many factors that are as individual as the person doing the exercise. You’ve got to find what works for you based on how you are doing at that point.
If you are a newly diagnosed fibromyalgia patient that struggles just to walk from the car to the house, walking a mile a day or doing any serious aerobic exercise isn’t going to be beneficial.
I recall when I was first diagnosed, pulling up a a building to walk into a class and thinking that there was no way I could make that walk. If I didn’t have to do it, it wasn’t going to happen. There were times I drove somewhere only to get there and leave without going in, because I just couldn’t make the walk.
I had to start small. For me, small meant light stretching. And, eventually, I worked my way up to walking for 5 minutes at a time. At a snail’s pace.
Unfortunately, too often when we hear the doctor say that we need to exercise more, what we picture is a full workout routine, power-walking, running, spending an hour at the gym, or something else that is just beyond what we can reasonably expect to do.
That image makes us feel even worse mentally and emotionally. But, there are more options.
Unfortunately, when the doctor says that we need to exercise more, what we picture is a full workout routine, power-walking, running, spending an hour at the gym, or something else that is just beyond what we can reasonably expect to… Share on XBest Exercises for Fibromyalgia
There is no ONE best exercise for fibromyalgia. The best exercise for fibromyalgia will be the one you feel most comfortable and confident doing. Bonus if you can have fun doing it. It may take some trial and error. But, always start small with just a few minutes of exercise followed by rest. Increase your time slowly over days or weeks.
There are a few exercises that will be easier to start with.
Stretching – Simple stretching goes a long way. If you are struggling to even get out of bed, you can stretch without leaving the bed. You can stretch on the couch. You can stretch anywhere. I put together a list of stretches that you can do while in bed.
I have a list of stretches I used on a regular basis when I couldn’t do anything else (I need to start doing these again because my hips are tightening up).
Walking – Walking is an aerobic exercise. It gets the heart pumping and blood flowing. It increases oxygen flow throughout the body. It also helps to keep your joints, muscles, tendons, etc moving, avoiding increased tightness which can increase pain. When walking is a struggle you can only do what you can. That may mean you start with just walking to the mailbox. It may mean that you start with just walking from the bedroom to the kitchen.
Water exercise – If you have access to a pool (or any body of water) you may find exercising in water easier than exercising on land. Water reduces the impact of exercise on your joints. You feel lighter and can often move easier as a result. This can allow you to get more of a workout with less overall fatigue (both muscle and otherwise).
Yoga – There are so many types of yoga, including very gentle forms specifically for those with chronic pain. The hardest part might be finding the type of yoga you prefer.
Yoga, at it’s core, is simply stretching in very specific ways. Both yoga and Tai Chi combine movement with meditation. This can have positive mental effects, as well as physical.
Tai Chi – Tai Chi is one of my favorite types of exercise for dealing with chronic pain. I think of it as standing yoga with movement. It’s about moving through specific poses in a gentle way. You stretch to the level you are comfortable and move as you are comfortable. It can be performed by anyone, anywhere.
I prefer Tai Chi over yoga because it feels as though it puts less stress on my joints, nor does it require me to stretch as deeply as yoga. However, I feel that my overall flexibility improves more and I generally feel better after I’m done.
There’s no bad choices for exercise. But, it’s important not to over-do it, to work at the level that is comfortable for you in your current state. Trying to do too much too fast will likely mean a setback that results in not being able to do anything.
Start small and do what works best for you.
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Amy says
Hi Julie. I would like to tell you my journey. About 3 years ago I started having problems focusing. I also had a little brain fog. I went to a psychiatrist and he diagnosed me with adult onset of ADD. I did not see any change in myself with the medicine so I discontinued taking it.
I opened a new business in April 2016 and I noticed my brain fog started getting worse. I couldn’t remember simple words. I would say the thing that washes your clothes or the thing we sleep in. I felt like I had dementia.
I worked out 5 days a week. I wondered why I was always more sore than others after a workout.
Moving forward, I started to urinate 2-3 times a night. I was checked by a urogynecologist and seemed fine.
My brain fog got worse. Everyone thought I was very forgetful. I started having pain in my right elbow. I saw many different bone doctors. I was in an elbow brace for about 9 months. I was given cortizone injections. I was told I needed surgery for carpal tunnel. I rejected the surgery because I wasn’t convinced.
Then I started having pain in 2018 in my low back, my shoulders, both elbows, hips, and sometimes my knees. During this process I broke my right foot. It didn’t heal as they hoped. I had surgery. Then I got a neuroma and the de started giving me injections.
My pain all but went away for a few weeks after each injection. I went through this for about 6 months.
After I realized something must be wrong with my body I went to my primary doctor and told her about my pain. She sent me to a rheumatologist. The doctor was great and she ran numerous blood tests on me. Everything came back normal. No autoimmune disease.
But also no help for my pain that started to be more widespread. I noticed I stated becoming fatigued very easily. Simple house chores would put me down for the day with pain. My husband took over vacuuming and mopping for me. He started helping with everything and that sure did help me.
During the meantime in August 2018 I started having issues and more pain. My uterus and bladder both fell. I put the surgery off until October. I had a hysterectomy and a bladder sling. I was always someone with a high pain tolerance. Gave natural births. I couldn’t tolerate the pain for this surgery.
I still urintae just as frequently at night and still have the pain on my sides. I had an extremely difficult time with the pain. I’ve had 2 separate augmentations, 3 foot surgeries, tonsils out, and a rectocele surgery and I never required pain pills.
The hospital couldn’t get my pain under control. I’m terrified of pain medication. But I had to give in to the medical staff and they finally did tame the pain and I was put on a regimen of every 4 hours 1g Percocet, every 2 hours 2 grams of morphine in my IV and every 6 hours a shot of Toradol. I used heat compresses in between.
The doctor was puzzled at my pain. He kept repeating maybe this is fibromyalgia. I had a doctor tell me in 2000 that I should see a specialist because my pain sounds like fibromyalgia. I didn’t believe in Fibromyalgia back then.
I took a weekend get away with my husband to San Francisco in January. We did a lot of walking. My body ached so bad and felt like I had been beat up. It was hard to lift my feet up and get onto a sidewalk. My hips killed me. If my husband so much as touched my arms I thought I would cry. I was so tired. It took me about 5 days to recover from that 4 day trip. The weird things is, we used to take trips all the time a few years ago and walked everywhere and it never bothered me….until now.
I was taking 800mg ibuprofen every 12 hours since mid November. I ended with an ulcer this past February. My doctor said no more ibuprofen.
Since my trip in January I’ve taken it easy. My brain fog comes and goes and my husband recognizes that something is off with my brain. I started having issues with a lot of noise or chaotic situations. It stresses me and puts me on overload and I shut down. I avoid certain situations in public. It just wears you down.
I went back to walking and slightly jogging and a little hiking.
My neck and shoulders get these terrible knots and aches and it takes 5-7 days for them to feel better. I have my husband and daughter message them and it still takes forever for the pain to go away. My elbows hurt when I’m typing or using my hands constantly. My knuckles hurt. Cold increases the pain intensity. My hips and low back are very painful. I’m about 5’4” and weigh about 164 pounds.
We just took a trip this past week to California. We went to Knotts Berry, the beach and an aquarium. My first day I started to feel some pain that evening. I gave in and took some ibuprofen.
The next day we went whale watching and took it kind of easy that day. I felt really fatigued. The next day when I woke up, I felt like a truck ran over me. I had no energy and I just wanted to stay in bed. We went to the beach for a couple hours. Then we drove the coast a bit. After dinner, I was hurting everywhere. I took some I ibuprofen. We walked down Hollywood Boulevard for about an hour and a half. I was hurting so bad that I could barely get up onto a sidewalk from the street, I was wobbling side to side because my hips hurt and low back. I felt like my entire system was on fire with electrical lighting bolts going through it. My husband put his hands on top of my shoulders and ran his hands up and down the tops of my shoulders, I literally thought I was going to die from the pain. He didn’t realize I was hurting like that. Once he looked at my face he realized I was hurting. He went and got the car to pick me up. That is the worst I’ve felt ever. I had to take a pain pill once I got in the car. The next day I was slow and sluggish and I’m the same today. My joints are stiff and
my hips hurt as do my elbows and neck. I’m 46 years old and I feel like I act like I’m 90. Heck some 90 years olds get around better than I do. I’m embarrassed because my kids see how I walk when I hurt and how hard things are for me when I’m hurting and fatigued.
Could this be Fibromyalgia? I’m only about 20 pounds overweight. I’ve just noticed that traveling is getting harder for me. My husband is 45 and feels absolutely no pain. He does great when we travel. It’s quite depressing to say the least. We’ve discussed taking me to a neurologist to see what’s going on in my body.
Does any of this pain sound like Fibromyalgia? If not, what else could it be and should I be doing anything f else to fix my body? I currently use a lot of Doterra oils and vitamins. I eat healthy. I’m a terrible sleeper. I move around about every 25 mins and I have restless legs.
Thank you for your time and feedback.
Julie says
It sounds every bit like fibromyalgia. It sounds so much like how I felt in the first few years before I managed to get my pain under control. I used a bit of everything to manage that, but I’d put it largely to diet and lifestyle changes.
Tina says
I’ve had Fibro 10 yrs, I’m 48yrs old. I felt every bit of the same way you described. Fibro is a monster! I started eating healthy Dec 13th. Last week I got in 5miles of walking & 5 flights of stairs! Starting out I just had my mind set to do what I could. Here I am already with less pain! So true with Fibro to just listen to what it’s telling you! I pray for you all! I know this is a relentless illness! Tina
Liz says
Does either of these sound like fibro pain:
1 – the feeling when your funny bone is hit, but in both shoulders, both elbows, both wrists, and knuckles all at the same time
2 – a “squished” feeling of joints and/or muscles, sort of like a blood pressure cuff around your shoulders and like a fist clutching the muscles in your back
Thanks for your time!
Julie says
Yes and yes. The feeling like your funny bone has been hit is probably nerve pain. The squished feeling is common, possibly myofascial or muscle tightness.Take a look at this post on ways that people describe fibromyalgia, my guess is that you’ll identify with a few. In any case, I’d suggest talking to your doctor about your symptoms and push to be referred to a specialist.
Jesse says
I have been feeling a sort of aching pain in certain areas. I am wondering if it could be fibromyalgia, but I have some questions.
1) Does everyone have the same tender points? I seem to have pain mostly in other areas than the 18 well known points…?
2) Is fibromyalgia pain always when your skin is painful to touch? My pain is more of a painful ache under the skin in the bones and muscle.
3) Is it possible for a child to have fibromyalgia? (I am a teen)
I really hope you answer these, and I’m sorry if they seem offensive in any way.
Julie says
The best thing is to visit your doctor and describe what’s going on with you and let them do a full exam. There are tests that would need to be run to rule out other possible causes for your pain before they determine it’s fibromyalgia.
But, to answer your questions. Pain isn’t always in the tender points. But, the tender points are one of the key things they look at. The tender points are based on pressure. If someone puts mild pressure on those points they they would hurt – not all of them necessarily but it’s not likely that none of them would. But, yes you may (and likely would) also have pain in other areas.
2)No, it’s not always your skin – the tender points aren’t actually about your skin being painful to touch – it’s really about the tissue underneath. But, yes you may also have bone/muscle type pain (but other things can cause this as well).
3) Yes, unfortunately, teens can get fibromyalgia
Denise says
Excellent article. I like your encouragement to start out at a small pace.
Julie says
Honestly, I think that’s the most important piece of advice when it comes to exercising – and sadly the piece most people never hear.