Is Exercise Still Good For You If You Have Fibromyalgia?

Exercise is extremely good for you, but if you suffer from fibromyalgia you may find that certain exercises can exacerbate your symptoms, make your joints hurt more and leave you feeling more fatigued.

MORE: Five types of exercise that can help to relieve fibro pain.

Everyone is different, and people with fibromyalgia will have different exercise tolerance levels. Some may find running a breeze, but many will find that high-impact sports cause a lot of pain, which means they’ll need to do something that’s a little more gentle on the joints and muscles.

The Mayo Clinic advises that people living with fibromyalgia approach an exercise plan with caution, starting slowly and gradually building up their strength and stamina. If they begin to experience pain and fatigue, they should reduce the time they exercise until they feel ready to increase it again.

Some sports and physical activities are more suited to people who suffer from joint pain. Low-impact exercise can be just as good for your overall health and strength as high-impact exercise. Cycling, walking, swimming, and water aerobics are all excellent ways to work out if you have fibromyalgia. Exercising for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week can help strengthen muscles and joints, ease fatigue, and improve sleep. Strength (or resistance) training is also good for people with fibromyalgia and can help reduce pain, while yoga or tai chi can help with fibromyalgia-related stress.

MORE: How you can fight fatigue with corrective stretching exercises. 

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