NEWSBRIEF: A new study shows that women with fibromyalgia (FMS) have less functional ability than the average woman in her 80s.
- 25% reporting difficulty bathing and taking care of personal needs
- More than 60% reported difficulty doing light household tasks (lifting/carrying 10 pounds, going up & down stairs)
- More than 90% reported difficulty doing heavy household tasks (strenuous activity, lifting/carrying 25 pounds)
Also in the study, women with lower functional ability had more fatigue, pain, muscle spasms, depression, restless legs, dizziness and balance problems, fear of falling, and bladder problems.
Guide Note: I'm not surprised by this. I'm fairly functional for a fibromite, and even so my husband's 78-year-old grandma runs circles around me!
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Along with this, I have difficulty opening jars, cans and bottles. Then there’s the pushing back and forth of the vacuum cleaner or standing to do dishes or iron. If I do this much i’m laid up for two-three days afterwords. I almost envy those older than me who are able to do more.
This isn’t new information. My elderly Rheumatologist in 1995 told me I had the body of an 80 yr old person. Where has the rest of the world been since then?
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