One of the most maddening aspects of fibromyalgia is that different people experience various symptoms. There are some common denominators, such as ongoing pain, headaches, stomach distress and sleep disturbances, but beyond those hallmarks, my fibro may be very different from your fibro. This, of course, makes it tough to say with certainty what will or will not work to help relieve your symptoms.
Still, most experts agree that daily exercise or movement is highly beneficial physically and mentally and each one of us has a “sweet spot” when it comes to proper amount of exercise and which types of activities work best. While your mileage may vary, keep these general guidelines in mind:
1. Consider where you are now in your fitness
If you’ve been mostly sedentary and have (or had) a desk job all your life, you’ll do best to start out slowly and gently, perhaps with some gentle walking or yoga stretches. A person who has regularly run marathons would likely need to do more than that. Find your middle ground and slowly work towards improvement.
2. Choose non-impact exercises and activities
Because we Fibro Fighters typically have an amplified pain response throughout our bodies, find gentle non-impact exercise, like walking, swimming or Tai Chi. There shouldn’t be any jumping, pounding and twisting in your chosen activity. “No pain, no gain” is a myth!
3. Find activities you enjoy doing frequently
If you can find an activity that you genuinely enjoy, you’ll likely have an easier time working it into your schedule and you’ll stick with it over a longer period of time, reaping maximum benefit. You’ll get the most out of consistent, daily movement.
4. Find activities that fit your personality type
Group of People doing flexibility exercises
Are you a social butterfly who enjoys being around others? Maybe you tend to work out alone and prefer that? Are you more of an indoor person or an outdoorsy type? Love the water? Prefer to work out with DVDs in the comfort of your home? You may even like a combination of these things. The point is, don’t force yourself to do someone else’s ideal work out. There is no one right way for everyone. Find what works for you.
5. Compare = Despair
This one was a challenge for me when I was regularly doing Pilates group classes. I would get very frustrated that I couldn’t “keep up” with the rest of the class, even though that competition was all in my head. First, I was often comparing myself to people younger and fitter than I am and second, none of them had fibro! What a silly comparison. Then I would go on a pity party thinking of how much stronger and faster I USED to be, before the fibro. Guess where all that negative thinking got me? Nowhere fast. My advice is to keep your eyes on yourself only. What anyone else can or can’t do is not your business.
Do you have an activity or exercise that you find helpful? What works best for you? Please share by commenting below.
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I love this Deborah! As a former no pain, no gain girl who then suffers with celiac disease and have had several complications and issues to boot I can no longer workout like I use to. Modifying and trying new things have helped get me back in the swing of things. Comparing is tough, even when comparing to what you use to be able to do, so I completely agree staying focused on what you can do is key!
Right on Lisa. Great attitude! Thank you for your comment.
Good article Deborah. I would also add if you’re breathing alters (hard to breathe and exercise at the same time) get medical advice on this from a physician who either works with respiratory conditions or sports people. It is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise and effectiveness of both the exercise and impact on one’s body. Also I was told about the pain vs gentle stretching – (non technical terms) it’s either one or the other according to the brain (again get advice for your situation). And for those who don’t like the word ‘exercise’ then ‘physical activity’ is often a more acceptable term (and can encompass all daily activity). These are personal insights and advice/suggestions given to me in relation to my situation, but some of it may help others. with best wishes Suzanne
Thanks so much Suzanne for that thoughtful comment. I especially like what you said about using the term “physical activity” instead of “exercise.” I find that phrasing or simply thinking in terms of getting more movement into my day is less daunting than trying to “EXERCISE” all in CAPS. That word can feel intimidating, especially on a day when you are not feeling your best. Thanks for reading!
These are excellent five tips that will help determine your goals in what you want to achieve in the near future.
These are great tips for anyone just getting started working out or easing back into their fitness routine. I think one reason people have trouble sticking to their exercise plan is that they try to do too much too soon and they don’t find activities that they actually like doing.
You are exactly right Tiffany. Thank you for the comment.
Great article Deborah! I totally relate to what you said about comparing yourself to others. I used to do this in my yoga class because I couldn’t keep up with all the poses and would feel frustrated and less-than, and sad. All it did was bring me down into a negative spiral. Now, I try to accept my limitations, and I do only gentle yoga like Restorative yoga, where you are totally supported by props or Hatha yoga. I also love Yoga Nidra (which is essentially like guided imagery meditation). I stretch every day for about 30-45 minutes. I walk for 30 min. 1-3x a week. These are the things I enjoy and that work for me. Sure, I wish I could run or go to the gym, but it flares up my pain.
Thanks for your comment Gina. Walking and yoga are great!