Author: dearfibromyalgia

Why do I continue to believe in the benefits of exercise for those living with fibromyalgia and related conditions? Because of the increase of healthy neurochemicals and blood flow, the resulting increased self-confidence, and reduction in pain levels. We know through experience and through various studies that exercise is not only an essential remedy but also much different than many activities of daily living that can be difficult or even detrimental to the fibro body.  

Update: Nature Offers A Free Bonus to Everyone Who Exercises

That’s what I said, EVERYONE, not just fibro people. There are quite a number of studies now regarding the positive results of exercise for various diseases, including fibro, but also the risk reduction in “all-cause” mortality; that’s the risk of dying from any disease. You want to live longer? I thought so.

Let me give you the results of one of those studies published May 19, 2019 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine and presented simultaneously at the American College of Sports Medicine 2019 Annual Meeting. This publication contains “peer reviewed” articles. I actually learned of this in the May 29, 2019 Issue of Medscape, a daily medical newsletter I follow faithfully.

Have you heard that we should all walk 10,000 steps per day? I think most people have and the makers of the fitness watches, smartphone apps, and other devices that monitor the wear’s steps per day must have heard this as they use 10,000 steps per day as a target. Well it turns out there’s no reliable science to justify that number!

The study included 16,741 women who had a mean age of 72 and who had a mean step count per day of 5499. Researchers followed the women for over four years. Results were compared to women who took the fewest steps per day (2718). The risk for all-cause mortality progressively fell by 15% for each additional 
1000 steps/day; however, this benefit leveled off at about 7500 steps per day.

For example: Women who took 4363 steps per day had a 41% decreased risk for all-cause mortality; the risk decreased by 46% at 5905 steps/day; and decreased further by 58% for women who took the most steps/day,8442.

So folks, while you are doing your fibro exercises and grumbling about it, just remember that you are not only “fixing” your fibro, you’re working on a longer life; that should make you “smile from the heart“.

I recommend a fitness program because I know it’s the single fibromyalgia treatment that can make the greatest improvement in your quality of life. It is well verified, but must be approached the right way. I know because I’ve “been there and done that” many times over.  

Of the five elements of the treatment protocol I developed for myself and others, the aerobic and range of motion exercises and especially my strength exercise routines made the biggest difference in overall pain levels and other symptoms.

The problem fibro people have with exercise is the initial discomfort and even fibro flares. That’s why I include a protocol element I label as the “mind body connection”. It provides guidance on techniques such as meditation, and deep breathing to help you stick with a consistent fitness program.

This page is intended to “shine a light” on particularly important benefits of exercise to encourage you to commit to your own fibro fitness program.  I will continue to update this “Benefits of Exercise for Treating Fibromyalgia” page often with new discussions about exercise studies and fibromyalgia symptoms that can be mitigated thru a safe, effective fibro fitness program so you can share the benefits of exercise for fibromyalgia that many of us have experienced, yes even with severe fibromyalgia and co-conditions. 

But now, let me bring you the results of a Cochrane Library scientific study of the “benefits of exercise for treating fibromyalgia syndrome“.

“Benefits of Exercise for Treating Fibromyalgia Syndrome”

An ongoing exercise program designed for fibro people becomes a “gift” that keeps on giving.

The Cochrane Library is the “gold” standard for scientific articles. They endeavor to pursue a truly objective approach. One of their standards is to provide an assessment of the “quality” of the data used in a submitted article or study. 

This is very important since many if not most fibro studies are funded by Big Pharma looking for evidence to support their brand of an FMS drug. Cochrane Library levels the playing field.

This Cochrane Library Review [1] looked at 34 studies with 2276 participating fibromyalgia subjects. The study provided major results for two types of exercise:

1) moderate aerobic training for a 12-week period.

2) strength training for a 12-week period

The results were based on a comparison to “no training” in each case.  Those results were:

Aerobic Training:

• overall feeling of well-being improved 7%
• physical capacity improved because oxygen intake capacity improved
• the number of active tender points was reduced by two
• pain was reduced 13%

NOTE: Based on my personal experience, I expect that intense vs the “moderate” aerobics used in this study will result in much larger improvements. Such a program would have to be well thought out (start with mild and progress thru moderate to intense aerobics) and include adequate “recovery” periods. 

Strength Training:

• pain was reduced by one-third to one-half (35% to 49%)
• improved overall feeling of well-being by 41%
• the number of active tender points was reduced by two
• large improvement in depression in those affected by this condition

This Cochrane study avoided speculating on the effects for programs over 12-weeks in length, fatigue, morning stiffness or sleep issues as the quality of data in these areas was limited with one exception:

• only 9 participants out of each 100 (9%) were unable to complete the strength training course.

I would add that in my personal experience, an ongoing exercise program of both aerobics and strength training becomes a “gift” that keeps on giving for fibro people. Not only will it lead to more good days than bad ones, but you will also learn to correlate particular exercises or subroutines with particular fibro symptoms relief. When I have a fibro flare, I actually use this knowledge to reduce the pain or other symptoms I’m experiencing. This knowledge comes with consistent adherence to your exercise program.  In the future, I intend to share the details of my personal protocol in this area.

Benefits of Exercise for Clinical Depression

Although the above study did not quantify the effect on depression, it did describe the effect as “large” improvement.

As I discussed in the “Treatment for Fibromyalgia with Serotonin” article here on this website, other studies have quantified the benefits of exercise for depression. In fact a United Kingdom Agency, the National-Institute-for-Health-and-Clinical-Excellence [2] has published a guide recommending the use of exercise, rather than anti-depressants, for the treatment of mild to moderate clinical depression.  An exercise session of only 40-minutes can have reliable, immediate results on mood.

Exercise and GI Tract Health  

When living with a chronic illness like fibromyalgia we are faced with the challenge of finding the right exercise that will be both safe AND effective. When we are too sedentary, we tend to create additional problems due to stagnation in the body in every system of the body that depends on a healthy amount of blood flow and force. The lymphatic system depends on exercise and movement as it has no pump of its own like the heart does.
The GI tract also depends on regular exercise in order to “stay regular” In other words, to keep the food and waste (toxins) moving along.

Do you suffer with a feeling of fullness or trapped gas on a daily or weekly basis? When we exercise, the body has a greater ability to release gas and move waste along. When we become constipated, this affects the entire GI tract. We not only feel bad (exacerbating all symptoms in fibro) but we can begin to suffer with malabsorption and altered gut bacteria.

As a colon therapist and fitness trainer, this is an often talked about subject when working with clients and here online as well. There is not only an increase in various intestinal diseases nowadays but with more chronic pain syndromes on the rise, we need to be aware of how to counteract this catch 22.

If you are in pain and you take meds for that pain, you may be creating more undesired side effects like constipation and abdominal pain. This makes it even harder to exercise.  Pain, side effects and constipation don’t exactly make you want to go to the park or to the gym, particularly when symptoms are really “waxing”.

The intestinal tract can also become sluggish when we are not getting proper sleep, and because lack of regenerative sleep is such a big issue with fibromyalgia, this can be yet another “variable” that can slow down our GI tract and our ability to move and strengthen our bodies as needed. (see the “Sleep Help” article link at bottom of this page for suggestions) Both the endocrine system (including liver and thyroid) and the GI tract are dependent on quality sleep.

When designing a fitness plan, we need to include a healthy amount of movement. The cardio portion of a fibro safe and effective exercise plan is the one area that will most vary, as we all have different preferences when it comes to cardio type exercise. Whatever you do, try to incorporate at least 20 minutes or more every day (or at least 6 days a week) of good, blood-flowing cardio exercise. This may include brisk walking, biking, moderate running, running-in-place, hiking, Zumba, tennis, low impact aerobics, structured swimming, basketball, etc.

When we move and breathe, we increase not only blood flow and lymphatic movement, but oxygen as well, and this increase of oxygen to cells will help to support the small intestine and the colon. One of the best things to do for indigestion or constipation is to get moving.

Living with fibromyalgia and other conditions myself since a young age, I see the importance of regular, consistent exercise but also the importance of keeping it safe and effective.

Start slow, possibly walking for 10-minutes a day at your own pace, then turn around and walk home. Incorporate some hills (incline) if possible to activate muscles during the walk. Add 1-minute every week. If that is too difficult, start with 5-minutes initially.

This will work for you if you’re consistent and increase your goal each week, and you too can experience the benefits of exercise for treating fibromyalgia.

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

Why is maintaining strength within our fibromyalgia exercise routine so important when living with fibro and its related conditions? When muscle is lost, many areas of the body can be affected, including balance, posture and agility. This can lead to de-conditioning, falls and injury. We cannot afford that.

Strength and agility are even more essential as we grow older.
By starting slow, and being consistent, we are giving our bodies the extra insurance needed to avoid injury. As I like to say …
“Our independence depends on it”

The key in using fibromyalgia exercise to build and maintain muscle mass as we grow older is consistency. Especially with any chronic illness that might be along for the ride. This also includes the primary co-conditions to fibromyalgia, and arthritis. 

The irony is that the very people that need safe and effective exercise the most are often the ones that tend towards inconsistency. The reward lies in staying consistent even on the days when we don’t feel like it.

There is something miraculous that happens when we trust the process…

Use Range Of Motion Variance In Your Fibromyalgia Exercise

A tool that I use when working with myself and clients is what I call ‘variance’. This means that when using a machine or even when using hand weights, we use a shorter and varied range of motion.

Instead of going into a range of motion that may be too extending or out of range for the fibro body, we lessen the range. This enables us to slowly increase our lifting weight over time during our fibromyalgia exercise with less risk of injury.

(Please note however that there will be some machines in the gym that will never be fibromyalgia exercise appropriate, such as the ‘fly machine’ which extends the arms too far from the body)

Using a shorter variance is a good thing though, because this is where much of the muscle activation takes place. When extending too far from our center point, we are not only risking injury, but the exercise itself also becomes less effective. 

While on the subject of range or lever variance, when lifting anything heavy or bulky, (groceries, trash can, laundry basket, etc.) always lift close to the body, never extend the arms too far away or this can easily cause a shoulder or scapula strain.

Muscle Health/Energy Activation

For reducing muscle tightness and fatigue, it is more than treating externally. you might want to consider your diet. Grains and sugars are very depleting to the body. We must reduce and eliminate these foods that are depleting essential nutrients from our bodies and musculo-skeletal system.

Fatigue ‘settles’ in the muscles, so it’s important to reduce any variable that perpetuates chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia symptoms. An imbalance in protein and carbohydrates can be an issue in both hypoglycemia and fibromyalgia.

An easy to digest and assimilate protein is essential. Glutamine is also a fibro essential as it has the ability to aid in healing leaky gut and increase of HGH (the youth hormone) that also aids in sleep and regeneration. 

Many protein shakes on the market (including those multi-level shake companies) have GMO’s and hard to digest proteins like whey and rice protein. With fibro, we need easy to digest protein without GMO’s. Lack of healthy protein can exacerbate symptoms of hypoglycemia and weight gain in any chronic illness and especially in fibromyalgia.

Over the last 15 years, I have experimented with every protein powder I could get my hands on. I was never fully satisfied and had little to recommend and use with clients until Original Plantfusion and now with Natural raw version Sun Warrior. These are both excellent. Sun Warrior has no natural sugars, but has no added glutamine. Plantfusion has a few grams of natural sugars but has added glutamine for those who don’t care to take extra glutamine. I actually use them together.

Both are available on this page, the Fibromyalgia Supplement page, and the Nutrition Tips page of this website. If you live outside the U.S. and cannot find either of these, look for protein ingredients like artichoke protein, pea protein, cranberry protein and sprouted quinoa.
Support healthy muscle and metabolism naturally….

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Mix in a high powered blender with add-ins such as green apple (excellent), flax or other seed meal, greens, and water.

Because the average female can only use about 10-12 protein grams at one time, I recommend using half servings of protein powder, this goes for every powder on the market. Remember that although we need protein, many people are still getting too much in their efforts to reduce carbohydrate foods. 

NOTE: Add less water before mixing to avoid the drink becoming too frothy; add more liquid or water AFTER blending. This goes for ANY protein powder to make it more digestible.

Liquid minerals such as Concentrace Ionic minerals help support mineral supply, including magnesium and others that work together synergistically. Raw minerals are also more effective.

Energy is best activated through effective movement. We create specific exercises that help increase balanced energy. We are working to energize NOT over stimulate the fibro body. 

Work to sleep according to the body clock. Many with Fibro say that they sleep when they can. The problem is that the body and mind will continue to suffer from imbalance. I have been there, and I still have to be diligent about getting to bed early.

Ask for accountability from family members. Treat yourself as if it is not an option. Implement a daily schedule that supports your goals. Staying up late depletes the adrenal glands and this in turn breaks down healthy muscle; we cannot afford that.

A second major tool to help adhere to the body clock is to arise in the morning (the closer to sunrise the better) and go out into the sunlight. Even if it’s cloudy, you will experience light levels much higher than possible inside your home. This has multiple benefits: 

• you reset your body clock daily making earlier sleep possible
• you get vitamin D in which most of us are deficient 
• the light promotes increased serotonin level (improved mood)
• and if you make the extra effort to walk for 20-minutes, you’ll be getting movement and light first thing every morning which will set the day for success ..

Adaptogens (energy increasing and stress reducing supplement support) such as Rhodiola or Ashwagandha will help to reduce stress and increase energy naturally. These are generally safe and effective.

It’s always best to check with your health care professional when adding any new supplements. 

An important point to remember is that empowerment can only come from being consistent. Not every workout will go as planned, yet we do need consistency in order to take greater control over symptoms, fatigue, and pain levels.

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

We know that safe and effective fibromyalgia exercise is an essential component when designing a wellness plan for fibromyalgia and its related conditions. There are general recommendations and guidelines set forth by one of my certifying bodies, ACE (American Council on Exercise) 
These are detailed in the Fitness Planner article here on the site, but with fibromyalgia and its primary co-conditions, I have to get a little more specific. 

What about some of the more specific suggestions that can make your exercise experience a better one? And will also lessen the susceptibility to post exercise malaise, increased pain/fatigue and possible injury… I am talking about PRE and POST fibromyalgia exercise suggestions that work well to address a number of issues.

These are the kind of issues to which only people with fibromyalgia and chronic pain can relate. We know that a strong and agile body is essential to avoid injury, yet whether we are engaging in fibromyalgia exercise such as strength training exercises, aerobic activity, OR an outdoor game, the ‘pre and post’ exercises are like extra insurance for the vulnerable fibro body..

What follows are some easy suggestions to protect the body while creating a safer and more pleasurable workout experience.

PRE FIBROMYALGIA EXERCISE WORKOUT:

1. Due to circulation challenges in the feet and in the entire fibro body, I suggest doing a 5-10 minute foot bath. This has several benefits and is much easier than a full bath. It will calm the body (salts) while increasing circulation and also softening any calluses on the bottom of feet that can press on potential TRP’s (trigger points) within the foot area.

Use a large enough foot bath container with warm water and a ½ cup epsom salts. Calming the body BEFORE the workout is very helpful for those with adrenal/thyroid involvement as well.

Ginger root powder will add even greater benefit for circulation and ‘warming’ the feet (1-2 Tbsp. added to the salt water). The circulation increase here is especially helpful in the winter months when the feet tend to stay cold, as cold feet can be detrimental to workouts.

2. Warm up with ROM (Range of Motion) exercises and breath work. ROM involves moving the arms and legs with variance, creating a greater range of motion to prevent injury or strain in the workout.

Breath work is simply taking a few minutes to engage the breath. This also benefits the adrenals and thyroid before moving into greater intensity. Try doing the alternate nostril breathing technique, which is simply holding one nostril closed (with mouth closed) and breathing in and out through the other nostril. This helps to relax the body. 

3. Using KT Tape or other kinesiology tape around both tender point and trigger point areas of the body can help to increase oxygen flow around joints and muscles which aids in a better workout and can lessen pain after workouts.

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(This can also be used anytime of day to help circulation and oxygen flow through it’s ability to gently lift the muscle from the skin…. And it just feels good !!)

Detailed instructions for effective application are included with tape. It might be necessary to have someone help with application or receive instruction from someone familiar with kinesiology tape and it’s applications.

4. Engage in light stretching only. I find that deeper stretching is best done AFTER workouts, especially for those of us with both fibro and osteo issues. We want to avoid injury to a muscle or joint by not over-stretching a cold muscle, tendon or ligament.

5. Myofascial Release of any kind is helpful at the best time that works for you. This can be done before OR after workouts.

POST FIBROMYALGIA EXERCISE WORKOUT:

1. Take time for an extended cool down. Use light stretching and range of motion exercises. If tolerated, deeper stretching can be done at this time as well. Spend at least 10 minutes to allow the body to come back into balance after the workout.

2. While stretching and moving, incorporate some deeper breathing; deep and controlled to bring the breath, heart rate and nervous system back into balance. This will help to lessen or prevent post exercise malaise.

3. If needed, apply ice packs to joints or areas that feel inflamed or painful. This should be done on a regular basis if joint issues or inflammation are an ongoing problem.

4. Use compression after workouts. This is one thing that helps me the most after an intense workout. Experiment with various degrees of compression using compression socks/sleeves or making your own with pieces of material. The point here is to increase circulation through application of pressure. 

In fact, if you generally find that standing causes your legs to hurt quickly, then using compression on your legs is essential. Even ADL’s like standing while doing the dishes or cooking is a great time to utilize compression on the legs. 

Some compression garments sold in stores are not appropriate for everyone so it’s helpful to be creative and ‘customize’ where needed…

5. Take in a quality source of protein within 30-60 minutes after every workout. This will aid in muscle recovery and support of healthy metabolism. This can also lessen post exercise malaise and reduce sugar cravings. 

L-Glutamine amino acid is also an essential after workouts to nourish muscle, reduce the buildup of lactic acid, and increase HGH. Please note that some protein powders such as the Original Plantfusion I recommend already have a sufficient amount of glutamine. 

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

I have found that the best fibromyalgia stretching exercises are more like range of motion exercises with LIGHT stretching included. This is because the fibro body is more sensitive to ‘conventional’ stretching. When people with fibro or osteo issues stretch too far, especially without proper conditioning, this can lead to Post Exercise Malaise, or worse, injury. See, this is because the fibro body has a tendency to store pain and past traumas inside the muscles, tendons, joints, etc.

Yoga or other types of deep stretching can be beneficial for some people, but not all. We want to be sure the body is warm and muscles are loose, not contracted nor TRPs (trigger points) present. When attempting any stretching beyond normal means, it is best to start slow and again, incorporate range of motion exercises FIRST. Also, ROM exercises create greater agility by increasing strength and flexibility in everyday activities.

ROM or Range of Motion is simply creating greater agility and range by performing exercises that will not only increase flexibility but also PROTECT the fibro body during activites of daily living that can sometimes lead to injury when least expected.
Lifting legs (lower leg and knee lifts) reaching arms up and to the sides, bending to the side, bending over with range variance, bridging, etc.. anything that increases range within the entire body.

Stretching Exercise Is All About Safety

When reaching to a high cabinet OR down to the floor, a conditioned body will better adapt and not be so susceptible to injury.

Proper breathing is also essential when doing any kind of stretching. Intentional breathing will aid in greater focus and less injury.

Along with intentional breathing, we want to always be aware of our core.

Core strength starts with awareness. When lifting, bending or reaching ..we want to activate our core muscles and this will in turn protect the fibro body while also practicing body awareness. 

As I like to say. ITS ALL ABOUT SAFETY..ITS ALL ABOUT CONSISTENCY..

Mornings are best for walking, hiking, muscle activation or anything that gets the blood flowing around joints and muscles. Avoid doing yoga or Pilates in the morning unless you have found this already works for you. Most people with fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome need to approach stretching with caution. This can actually ‘activate’ not only pain but an immune response which can in turn increase the potential for post exercise malaise. 

Afternoon is best for deeper stretching exercises and safe and effective strength training. ROM exercises can generally be done any time of day. (as shown here) Whenever symptoms arise from repetition or daily life, this is a great time to spend 10-15 minutes practicing range of motion with controlled and focused breathing.

Exercise Is All About Consistency

Consistency is key … If we are not adhering to a consistent routine, the muscles and joints will not respond as easily and we will continue to feel that we are back at square one. Consistency will bring results. The key is showing up even on days when we don’t feel our best. Progress can occur when we least expect it.

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store