Strength training and fibromyalgia

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, July, 2003

An exercise plan that includes strength training and aerobic activity may help women with the painful condition fibromyalgia, suggest the results of a small study. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition marked by widespread muscular and joint pain, as well as specific "tender" points that typically occur in the neck, spine, hips and shoulders.

Aerobic exercise alone has been found to help alleviate symptoms, but strength training was excluded in the past for fear that it could exacerbate symptoms or cause injury. A study of 15 women who completed a 20-week exercise program, however, showed that both training modalities were helpful. Subjects took part in a progressive regimen that started with pool exercises to improve joint movement, then moved on to walking and strengthening exercises with hand weights, machines and bodyweight resistance. After 20 weeks, the women's muscle strength and endurance improved, as did their symptoms of pain, stiffness, fatigue and depression, researchers report in Arthritis Care & Research. They note that larger, controlled trials are needed to lay out specific exercise guidelines for fibromyalgia patients.