Readers Respond: Getting Regular Exercise

Most of us with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome know we should exercise regularly, but when your health is a roller coaster it's a tough thing to do. Have you found something that gets you to exercise more consistently? What has helped? What exercises have helped you most? Leave a comment to help other people get on the right track!

Note: what works for some people will not necessarily work for you. Always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen, start slowly, and back off a little if it makes you feel worse.

What works for me

Treadmill workout 5 days a week for 30 mins to 1 hour.Drink lots of green tea(Not bag)If I am feeling good I will throw in 30 mins on the stationary bike.I do the aerobics in conjunction 3 days a week small dumbell weights and climb the stairs to 3rd floor 2-3 times a day.

—Guest JimmyLew

Keeping a balance

I have FM&ME I attend a supervised gym 3x a week.I can't use the treadmill as it causes too much impact on all of my joints,I can't use even recliner bikes,they aggravate my knees.I've found the crosstrainer and cross ramp trainer to be my most useful tools.Some days I can barely get out of bed and into my car to drive there but,if I manage to get that far,the reward is less pain and more mobility.I use the cross ramp(on a VERY low ramp&resistance)whilst holding onto the arm rests to support my weight,this means I can gradually go from barely able to walk to walking with just a slight limp after just a few minutes(5-10).This is a low impact machine&causes no extra stress on my joints&is a smooth constant motion.I'll be honest sometimes I am close to tears when I start&I have headphones on with loud music so I can't hear myself yelping with pain but I know that if I take it slowly and persist I will be able to move about much more freely after a just a short while :) Spoonie love to all

—Guest Nay

Wii fit

This made it a lot easier for me to have the motivation to start. There are a lot of yoga exercises that I can do - start off slow. One of my favorite other exercises is the hula hoop. Really fun. Also, Wii fit even gets me to run a little bit - that's a huge accomplishment. I haven't been using it for several months because we are still getting our house back together after a tree fell on it and my pain is much worse. Anything that gets me up and moving gets a gold star because I am in pain, depressed, and naturally lazy.

—Guest moonsent

exercise in bed

Most mornings i can do some basic stretches and even some mildly aerobic calisthenics before i leave my bed. First i hug each knee to my ribs, then both knees, and hold each hug for about 30 seconds (some days the knees barely bend, but i hug 'em anyway). Then i put my arms and legs straight up; there's a place where they just sit in their sockets and no strain is needed to keep them there. If i'm feeling good i swing each arm and leg around in twenty little circles clockwise and twenty counter-clockwise. If that's too tiring i try for ten, and so on. Then i scissor my legs together and apart, making sure to press my spine into the mattress; i aim for twenty each. Next, after putting my legs down, i flex my biceps - gently. If i'm having a really good day i do some Yoga-style spinal twisting. And if i'm having a great day i get up REALLY slowly and dance very gently to my IPod - waltzes and belly-dance moves at a slow speed. Hope some of these ideas help!

—mephitis2

Exercise with CFS/FM and Diabetes

I have had CFS/FM for 33 years and am now 71 years old. I've just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and am told that one of the ways to lower blood sugar is with regular exercise. I'm at a loss as to how to do this. I can barely make it through my shower some days! lol I cannot stand for very long or go to the gym for pool exercises. Are there any suggestions to what kind of chair tai chi videos I could purchase that are on the slow side? Thanks

—Guest Nancy

THANKS!!

Hi, im in the process of being diagnosed with fibro so to be able to read this is just amazing help for me. Me and my partner both want to lose weight, and I know with his help and the support from others online I will be able to do it. Thanks to all who have shared their good and bad experiences with exercising. Im going to try some yoga, pilates and swimming. Walking just doesnt work for me as I suffer from achilles tendonitis! OUCH doesnt quite cover it! SO once again thanks very much to all of you, its really helped!

—Guest Christine

Diet and Exercise is really helping me

After having fibro for over 12 years and not much helping, I decided a few months ago to start cutting back on most sugars, starches and milk. I also have joined our local fitness center and have lost 20 lbs in the last 10 weeks. I do cardio on the treadmill and recumbant bike, and weight machines. It wasn't easy to start and had a few setbacks where I thought that I would have to quit. Most of my muscular problems in my neck and shoulders have almost disappeared completely. I don't know if is the diet, exercise or the combination of both, but I don't want to stop now for fear of all the pain coming back!

—Guest Deb M

pool walking

I have had both cf/and fibromyalgia for over 2 years. Found Curves too painful, cross training at the gym exhausting, with a 2 day recovery time at least. now that summer is here, I find protein shakes, vitamins, light hosekeeping, and gardening, the bending at the waist movement and stretches in the sunshine to be very beneficial. My foot Dr. recommended light, gentle walking daily. I have been doing so in the pool for about a month now, and feel improved leg/knee strength, and am working on upper body stretches and toning with a water noodle. I wear water shoes with OTC orthotics. I do use a float board for gentle leg stretches, and light kicking. In addition to prescribed pain med and sleep med, I am able to sleep better, and feel stronger everyday. It is really important to time yourself. Make small goals, and limit yourself to help with post exercise malaise. Sun helps with the natural vitamins and depression. Try to stay positive. Drink enough water !

—Guest debpara

releasing trigger points before exercise

I lightly stretch and release major trigger points before exercise eliminating post exertional soreness and rebound pain. I am a Fibro sufferer and Fibro educator and Myotherapist and this works for my clients as well.

—Guest Betsy Timmerman

what works and what doesn't

Sharing what works for you is great. Also, sharing what doesn't work for you is great. Some people feel pressured and try things they shouldn't and can have severe consequences. It'd be nice if someone would share some simple things for those who are bedridden but can still move their arms and legs a bit. During the 27 years I've had fm/cfs/me I've been in phases from pushing and crashing, to raise my young daughter in younger years past, to periods of nearly being bedridden and everything in between. It's so hard for some of us to know what to do when it comes to exercise. I get violently ill for hours or days sometimes from pushing. Please do encourage others but be careful to always say, if you think you could or should. We all desperately want to exercise and/or be active. Thanks :) I did find some helpful things here.

—Guest Grace

EXERCISING

I FOUND A 3 MILE WALK DVD. its faster cause its too music then if you were walking outside. Iis bY Lelsie Sansone ITS A little dancing too which I love. just 4 easy movs. I do 10-20 min 5 days a week if I GO OVER Y LIMIT iM EXHAUSTED AND SORE SO i must be careful. beth r

—Guest beth r

Exercise For CFS FMS

Curves and again Curves.....joining Curves took me from having barley functional movement to being mobile, flexible and the lean muscle gain has helped control pain. It is self paced- a caring and supportive environment and Curves recognizes FMS ( it even on their health history questionnaire) I started slow and steady and did what I was able to do depending on the day- gradually built up over time - even when I was tired and in pain I went just to move/ stretch and the social interaction with the other ladies lifted my mood...I gradually branched out into other types of exercise like Yoga ( brilliant) but kept Curves as my base three times a week. It opened up a whole new world for me..physically and psychologically. Give it a go...I have never regretted the day I walked in the door.

—Guest Sue

Easy stretch

I have had FM/ME & chronic myofascial pain for 17+ years. The only things that work for me are 1) moist hot packs on back/shoulders/neck. 2) deep pressure point massage (I have my hubby do this for me as often as possible) 3) I lay on the floor with a large towel (rolled up & laid length wise) between my shoulders. This helps to gently stretch the sore muscles. If it hurts too much at first, try a smaller towel. Good luck!

—Guest Jeanette

Exercise with Fibromyalgia and CFS

I had two years of PT/exercise at the Rehabilitation Hoapital of Rhode Island, both land and water. I did every thing they asked including the home exercises. After 6 mos. they said I was actually weaker and had to stop the land exercises. I did water 3 times a week for 30 minutes and 4 times a week at home in an exercise spa for 10 minutes. At the end of two years I had gone from a class of 6 to 1 on 1 with the therapist, I was too weak to trust if anyone else needed help. I was finally discharged with the Dx "Failure to Thrive". The administrator of the hospital who was als the head of the Fibro unit told me that like everything else nothing works for all people, I was much weaker than when I started. That was in 2006, now I am waiting for an electric chair to be delivered. I would give anything almost if I could get around better, but for me I would probably been better off left alone. They now do strength assesments on Fibro's every 3 months and have found one more patient like me.

—Guest Mudnglue

Aerobics, Weight Lifting, Walking, Swim

I actually started working out despite my fibro and severe chronic pain issues to help me calm down from irate phone customers. The side benefits were that I noticed my core was getting stronger, my posture improved and I could deal with my pain level a bit longer. No, it hasn't improved my pain but the benefits have helped me have a better and healthier life.

—Guest berrymorin