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Feb 13

Exercise can benefit fibromyalgia patients

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Q My wife desperately wants to lose weight and be healthier but she suffers from a condition called fibromyalgia. Do you know anything about this condition, and is there any way that she will still be able to exercise and lose the weight with all of the pain and symptoms from it? — Larry (a concerned husband)

A I have really good news for you. We have successfully worked with and helped hundreds of women with fibromyalgia, and we can help your wife also. There are also many studies that show the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition with fibromyalgia patients.

An exercise program that incorporates strength training and stretching can improve daily function and alleviate symptoms in women with fibromyalgia. These benefits appear to be enhanced when exercise is combined with education about managing the disease.

Patients with fibromyalgia experience chronic pain throughout their bodies for at least three months, along with specific sites of tenderness.

Daniel S. Rooks, Sc.D., from Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and now with Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., and colleagues recruited 207 women taking medication for fibromyalgia.

For 16 weeks, the women were randomly assigned to four groups: 51 performed aerobic and flexibility exercises only; 51 added in strength training; 50 received a self-help course on managing fibromyalgia; and 55 participated in all the exercises and the education course. The exercise groups met twice weekly, gradually increasing the length and intensity of their workouts, with instructions to perform a third day of exercise on their own.

A total of 135 women completed the study and underwent a six-month follow-up assessment. As measured by two self-assessment questionnaires and one performance test, women who participated in all forms of exercise improved their physical function, an effect that was larger in the combined education and exercise group. “Social function, mental health, fatigue, depression and self-efficacy also improved,” the authors write. “The beneficial effect on physical function of exercise alone and in combination with education persisted at six months.”

“The present study suggests that progressive walking, simple strength training movements and stretching activities are effective at improving physical, emotional and social function ... in women with fibromyalgia who are being actively treated with medication,” the authors write. “The findings suggested the need for inclusion of appropriate exercise and patient education in the treatment of individuals with fibromyalgia.”

Journal reference: Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(20):2192-2200. This research was supported by an Arthritis Foundation Investigator Award (Dr. Rooks) and National Institutes of Health grants.

Fitness Expert and Fitness Hall of Fame recipient John DeFendis is the Director of Exercise and Fitness at Coop’s Health & Fitness in Spartanburg, Anderson and Greenville. A former Mr. USA and a personal trainer for more than 34 years, his specialty lies in weight loss and health.

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Exercise can benefit fibromyalgia patients

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