If you've fibromyalgia and are in pain, exercising might be the last item you need to do. But experts say it's actually one of the vital effective strategies you possibly can attempt to help manage this chronic pain condition.
Yet many individuals with fibromyalgia already struggle to attain their each day routine activities. Adding exercise on top of that may seem overwhelming. And pain and fatigue could make it difficult to start out and follow regular exercise.
getting began
It's natural to fret that any exercise will make your pain worse and wear you out. But know that adding more physical activity to your day can actually reduce your pain, improve your sleep, and provide you with more energy.
So, how does an anxious person with fibromyalgia begin? You'll wish to discuss with your doctor about your current medical treatment whenever you're planning to start out exercising. Questions to think about: Should I take the medication at different times of the day? What can I do either before or immediately after exercise to cut back symptoms?
slowly
When you're ready to start out an exercise program, start slowly. Taking small steps to start out an exercise plan might help. If possible, add small amounts of activity to every day. Then regularly increase your activity over time.
For example, when you walk for 10 minutes today, try for 11 minutes — a ten% increase — every week later. This approach is very vital to avoid a phenomenon often known as postextraction malaise (PEM). Many individuals with fibromyalgia have this problem. When they feel less pain or more energy, they might attempt to do things they're unable to do due to symptoms. Often, they don't realize after they are doing an excessive amount of together. They may feel so drained that it takes days or longer to get better. This is PEM, known to individuals with fibromyalgia as “crashes.” A gradual approach to exercise might help prevent this.
Choose activities fastidiously.
In addition to regularly increasing movement over time, try to decide on activities that don't put an excessive amount of stress in your body. Experts generally recommend any low-impact aerobic activity, reminiscent of walking, swimming or cycling. Your doctor may recommend that you simply work with a physical therapist on exercises specifically aimed toward reducing pain and stiffness and improving function. This can include stretching and strengthening in addition to aerobic exercise.
Another type of exercise that has shown promise for individuals with fibromyalgia is tai chi. This ancient Chinese practice began as a type of self-defense. It involves slow, deliberate movements and deep respiration exercises.
A 2018 the study I BMJ checked out 226 adults with fibromyalgia. Researchers assigned 151 group members to practice tai chi a couple of times every week for 12 or 24 weeks. Another 75 study participants did moderate aerobic exercise twice every week for six months. Researchers found that tai chi was higher than aerobic exercise in relieving fibromyalgia symptoms.
Some limited evidence also suggests that yoga might also help improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, including pain, fatigue, and mood problems.
Whatever activity you select, remember to be patient with yourself. There could also be short-term setbacks, but being patient and dealing to beat them can allow you to make long-term progress.