Why Is Exercise Important for Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a medical condition that affects the muscles and joints. The disorder also may cause headaches, disrupt sleep, and cause muscle stiffness and general body aches, report doctors at the American Academy of Family Physicians. Fibromyalgia is not life threatening, but is very uncomfortable and can disrupt everyday activities. Pain medication and exercise are two modes of treating fibromyalgia.
Experts believe that exercise is essential for keeping muscles strong and flexible, controlling weight, and helping you stay active in other areas of life. In fact, exercise and activity allow patients to have some control over fibromyalgia and the amount of pain they feel. It used to be that doctors thought that exercise might worsen fibromyalgia symptoms or accelerate the disease. So doctors encouraged patients to seek rest, not activity. But recent scientific studies have shown that, for most patients, range of motion, strengthening, and aerobic conditioning exercises are safe and necessary.
