Exercise and Fibromyalgia Symptoms DC

If you find yourself confused about fibromyalgia, you are not alone. Patients, physicians, and researchers alike have been perplexed by this complex condition. Even as few as ten years ago, there was little discussion about this syndrome within the medical community. With the wide array of symptoms associated with it, fibromyalgia was often confused with the symptoms which accompanied it, and consequently was misdiagnosed or thought to be "in the mind." Today science has recognized fibromyalgia as a rheumatic autoimmune disorder affecting between 3 and 6 million Americans each year. What was once thought of a psychosomatic complaint has turned out to be a complex disorder which is only now beginning to be understood.

Several symptoms must be present in order to confirm a fibromyalgia diagnosis. The first is widespread muscle and skeletal pain. Widespread is defined as pain occurring on the right and left sides of the body, above and below the waist, and along the spine. Localized pain also must occur in a majority of identified "tender points" all over the surface of the body. Other general, common symptoms include aching, disturbed sleep patterns, fatigue, morning stiffness, depression, recurrent headaches, tender lymph nodes, bowel or bladder disturbances, sensitivity to heat or cold, anxiety, gastrointestinal disturbances, dizziness, occasional racing heart beats, decreased coordination, and environmental allergies. The presence of certain diseases is also common with a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Three of the most common diseases are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Raynaud's disease, and temporal mandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).

Researchers published in the Journal of Rheumatology a systemic review of the effects of exercise in fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Exercise training standards were evaluated by using the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines. Of the 2,276 subjects 1,264 subjects were assigned exercise programs. Results of a meta-analysis of 6 studies indicated that aerobic exercise had positive effects on global well-being, physical function and decreased pain. Strength training had positive effects on fibromyalgia symptoms. The authors concluded that aerobic training had beneficial effects on physical function and some FM symptoms and that strength training may improve FM symptoms. The authors also added that large, high-quality studies of exercise-only interventions in FM patients are needed.¹

¹ Busch A, Schachter C, Overend T, et al. Exercise for Fibromyalgia: A Systemic Review. J Rheumatol. May2008.