Chronic pain is a reality for many women living with fibromyalgia. However, there are steps we can take to ease the pain and improve our quality of life. One such step is physical activity.
Though it may seem daunting initially, getting active can help reduce fibromyalgia pain and make us feel better overall. In this post, we'll discuss the benefits of physical activity and provide tips on how to get started. Let's get moving!
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Fibromyalgia is a challenging chronic pain syndrome to treat. Fibromyalgia requires a holistic approach that includes medications, diet alterations, supportive exercise, and other lifestyle changes to help manage fibromyalgia symptoms.
More than ten million US adults, primarily women, suffer from this condition and are looking for answers to deal with the daily onslaught of chronic pain. Recent research suggests that short bursts of physical activity may bring some fibro relief.
A NEW RESEARCH STUDY
Because people with fibromyalgia often suffer from intense and widespread pain, they may feel that exercise is the absolute last thing they can do.
However, a recent research study indicated that fibromyalgia patients who engaged in short bursts of physical activity felt better and functioned better in their daily lives.
According to the research, the study findings published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy show that, according to the research, short bursts of activity, lasting less than ten minutes or less at a time but having some degree of intensity, can improve pain perception in those who have some degree who regularly practice this daily. The study used "lifestyle physical activity."
WHAT IS "LIFESTYLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY"?
Lifestyle physical activity refers to having the person with fibromyalgia implement short intensive bursts of physical activity as part of their daily activities.
Physical activities can involve incorporating many different activities, including walking, taking the stairs, gardening, housework, or doing any activity that allows the person living with fibromyalgia to get more movement.
Many researchers believe that engaging in these short bursts of exercise is as effective in reducing pain as doing thirty minutes of exercise in a row.
Researchers believe that no particular exercise is superior to any other type for fibromyalgia patients, partly because they vary in their symptoms. For example, some fibromyalgia patients can tolerate extra walking, while others feel more comfortable doing mat pilates, cycling, or water aerobics.
THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY
The study was undertaken over twelve weeks and involved studying 84 people with fibromyalgia. The study participants were told to incorporate thirty minutes of lifestyle exercise as part of the week for 5 to 7 days.
In addition, the study participants were matched against control patients who only participated in an educational program about fibromyalgia.
The treatment group that was instructed in lifestyle exercises took 54 percent more steps during the day compared to the control group, who only received education on how important exercise is to fibromyalgia but weren't given any particular recommendations about how to exercise or what exercises to do.
Those instructed particularly in lifestyle physical activity told the researchers that they had fewer physical functioning deficits and decreased pain than the control group, who did not receive special exercise training.
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According to research, fibromyalgia patients should do more physical activity as part of their daily exercises. However, physical activity duration doesn't have to be significant, which is good because fibromyalgia patients have very little stamina, especially when starting a new exercise regime.
Short bursts of activity seem to be as effective or even better than traditional types of exercise, such as cycling, walking, running, or swimming for a consecutive thirty minutes each day.
According to the research, it is unnecessary to do the more traditional forms of exercise to become motivated to exercise. For someone with fibromyalgia doing a full thirty minutes of exercise, say on the treadmill or taking an exercise class, can be daunting.
Instead, doing short bursts of exercise that don't take very long can be more achievable, a better motivator, and something physical to relieve the pain.
THE FINAL POINT
It's best for anyone with fibromyalgia to choose an exercise they enjoy, one that they can stick with regularly, which doesn't cause a worsening of their symptoms.
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