It is often assumed that fibromyalgia and exercise don't go together because of the chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia syndrome. In truth, the appropriate fibromyalgia exercise program, consistently followed, will relieve pain, strengthen connective tissue and increase flexibility and blood flow. In addition to diet changes and nutrient supplementation, a daily, appropriate exercise regimen is vital to reversing fibromyalgia. The human body is designed with muscles and joints to perform an array of activities. With the pain of fibromyalgia, exercise and many daily activities are slowed down or stopped completely. Muscles that are not regularly worked atrophy and are more prone to trauma and dysfunction. The many necessary hormones that should be released during exercise and daily physical activities do not respond reliably and consistently in fibromyalgia sufferers.

Exercise in many different forms, whether stretching, weight resistance, walking, swimming, cycling, yoga and others are known to be effective components for reversing fibromyalgia.

With fibromyalgia, exercise becomes a key component in healing because a properly designed exercise routine will help you:

• Strengthen connective tissue (ligaments and tendons) while enhancing muscle tone
• Increase flexibility allowing for a fuller range of motion without pain, strain, pulls, and tears
• Increase blood flow to muscle tissue which transports oxygen and nutrients to the muscle
• Increase endorphins released by the hypothalamus, healing and uplifting with natural pain-relieving and sleep-deepening effects and in addition, alleviating some of the anxiety, depression and pain associated with fibromyalgia
• Enhance production of T-cells from the thymus, providing a greater number of immune system boosting cells available to the body
• Stimulate the production of serotonin and growth hormone, the exact pain reducing and muscle-repair hormone imbalances linked with individuals with fibromyalgia
• Decrease risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart attack and stroke
• Relieve stress; increase energy; reduce fatigue
• Promote weight loss, and reduce stress on your joints
• Increase bone mass, and reduce your risk of fracture or osteoporosis

A regular fibromyalgia exercise program designed to improve physical fitness should include:

1. Stretching, Breathing, Relaxing
2. Strength or Resistance Training
3. Cardiovascular Aerobic Activities

Fibromyalgia exercise helps to control weight, reduce pain and increase mobility in fibromyalgia patients. Consistent and appropriate exercise helps guard against health problems such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Although, it is also important to avoid unhealthy behaviors such as: smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, high demand/low control stressors, social isolation, recreational drug use and junk food. These will nullify many of the positives received from fibromyalgia exercise.

Be sure to stretch in the mornings, and warm-up before and after any physical activity. Be careful not to overdo it. Overdoing exercise or even rigorous daily tasks will actually make your muscles contract, the opposite of what you want to accomplish. You may need to begin at a very low level of exercise such as 5 minutes a day. You should continue to increase the length and frequency of exercise until you are exercising for at least 45 to 60 minutes a day.