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Media Releases
May 12 is National Fibromyalgia Day
Fibromyalgia is Not a Reason to Avoid Exercise
Columbia, Mo. (May. 4, 2006) When our out of shape bodies are aching and sore, "exercise" is probably the last word we want to hear. It already hurts doing nothing, why bother dragging ourselves onto a treadmill and endure more pain afterwards?
For Americans who live with a chronic pain condition, such as fibromyalgia (FM), the challenge of daily exercise is even more daunting. For the three to six million people coping with FM - most of whom are women of childbearing age - the relentless daily battle against torturous, diffuse pain and fatigue may make the idea of adding exercise almost impossible.
On the cognitive level, most of those living with FM are fully aware of the benefits of staying physically active. However, pain, tenderness, low energy reserve, depression, sleeplessness, and most importantly the fear of getting hurt drive them away from exercise and therefore deprive them of the benefits it can bring about.
This apparently is not the role exercise should play in coping with fibromyalgia. Shown by clinical studies as being effective in easing pain, reducing stress, strengthening muscles, promoting sleep, improving flexibility and mood, exercise is widely acknowledged as an essential component of a FM treatment plan.
"Aerobic and stretching exercises do lead to improvement in functional level and the general sense of well being. However, patients may get discouraged thinking or actually finding exercise to aggravate pain initially. It's kind of a vicious cycle, but they should try," remarks Dr. Chokkalingam Siva at the MU School of Medicine. As an assistant clinical professor of rheumatology, Siva works closely with people who have fibromyalgia and has a deep understanding of the dilemma his patients face. "It's not easy to get healthy people into the gym, not to say those who hurt," says Siva.
While people with fibromyalgia may think they are unable to do some physical activities, researchers suggest this "barrier" might be overestimated. Published in Arthritis & Rheumatism in 2005 and deemed as the first of its kind, one study monitored around-the-clock activities carried out by people with FM and measured their movements in various directions. Surprisingly, the participants were found to be functioning on similar average activity levels as people without FM, although they did spend much less time in intensive activities. In other words, the findings suggest that people with FM are able to sustain more physical activity than they think they couldÑand without increased pain.
Since physical activity advised, the next question is: How can a person with fibromyalgia benefit the most from exercise without increased pain? Here are several things to start with.
1. Think small and start slow. Exercise does not have to be strenuous, says Dr. Siva. It can take any form, be it walking, swimming, cycling and dancing. Three to five minutes a day to start with is perfectly acceptable.
2. Listen to your body and don't push too hard. Otherwise you may cause severe stress both physically and psychologically to such an extent that you don't want to do it the rest of your life.
3. Be persistent. If you miss one day, resume it the next day. One trick is to have a family member or a close friend work out with you.
4. Enjoy. "Find something you feel comfortable and enjoyable," suggests Siva, "so that you are more likely to stick with."
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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