Do you have fibromyalgia and want to exercise, but pain keeps getting in the way? This is normal, but it’s important to know that not every type of movement will make your symptoms worse. Learning about different kinds of exercise can help you find activities that let you move comfortably and safely.

Here’s what you need to know about exercising with fibromyalgia.

Exercise and Fibromyalgia

Regular exercise offers a range of benefits for people living with fibromyalgia. Physical activity can:

• Boost mood
• Reduce fatigue
• Ease chronic pain
• Improve brain function
• Raise overall fitness

Understanding your exercise options can help you find ways to stay active while keeping pain under control. Physical activity can also help lower stress levels, which is often a goal for people living with fibromyalgia.

However, when you start an exercise program, your symptoms of fibromyalgia are likely to get worse before they get better. Researchers believe this may happen because the peripheral nervous system isn’t working the way it should. It may take some time for your body to learn to send your muscles the blood and oxygen they need during exercise.

Many MyFibroTeam members have found routines that work for them. “Exercise is by far the best thing for my fibro,” one member shared. “Starting slowly and gradually increasing length and intensity has increased my strength and endurance so that it takes much more to cause me pain than it did when I first developed fibro.”

"Sometimes, I have to push myself,” another member said, “but it is worth it for the sense of achievement and also the physical benefits.”

Exercises for Fibromyalgia

The effects of physical activity differ among people with fibromyalgia, but some forms of exercise are more likely than others to be good for your body. Here’s what tends to work.

1. Gentle Stretches

Gentle stretching may help reduce some muscle stiffness, but it’s important not to overdo it. Some people prefer practicing restorative yoga or taking yoga classes designed for seniors or people with physical impairments. Pilates combines flexibility training with strength training, so it can be helpful for stretching, too.

Whichever form of stretching you choose, make sure to find a video or class that won’t push you too hard and will work for your needs. “The one thing I have found is that stretching exercises really help, even though they may be a bit challenging to start with!” one MyFibroTeam member said.

2. Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is designed to improve heart and lung function. For people living with fibromyalgia, this type of activity can also help reduce fatigue and pain. Be sure to go at a pace that feels right for you — don’t push too hard, even on days you feel really good. Aerobic activities such as walking, riding a stationary bike, or doing water aerobics can be good options for fibromyalgia.

“Aquafit is about the only thing I can do that doesn’t make things worse,” reported a MyFibroTeam member who does water workouts.

3. Dance

Dancing can be a great way to incorporate movement into everyday life. Taking a moment or two several times a day to move to music may help keep your muscles from freezing up. If you can do longer sessions, they may even transition into low-impact aerobic exercise.

You can dance at home for free or join an online or in-person class. “My best exercise is a dance class called Nia,” one MyFibroTeam member shared. “It is low impact, fun, and great for my body and soul. It’s great exercise, and it makes you feel capable again.”

4. Strength Training

Regular strength training can help maintain muscle mass, ease pain, and reduce fatigue. You might try:

• Isometric strengthening (pushing against an object)
• Resistance band training (using progressively thicker bands as you get stronger)
• Weight training (lifting hand weights or using gym machines)

Make sure you start slowly, know how to do each exercise with proper form, and work with a strength training professional who understands fibromyalgia.

“That sounds very much like what Pilates is like,” one member said about strength training. “It can be hard work getting painful muscles to stretch, but it has enabled more movement by strengthening your core muscles.”

5. Tai Chi

Tai chi, which combines movement with deep breathing, can help improve strength, endurance, and balance. This mind-body practice may also help reduce physical symptoms as much as aerobic exercise does. Only do gentle movements that feel comfortable and don’t cause more fibromyalgia pain or other symptoms.

Finding a class or a video that doesn’t push too hard is key. “Just started tai chi with a home DVD and think I will really like it,” a MyFibroTeam member reported.

Exercises To Avoid With Fibromyalgia

Just as some types of exercise are more likely to work for people with fibromyalgia, other types are more likely to cause issues.

1. High-Intensity Exercise

High-intensity workouts tend to push you to strain yourself, which can make you more tired and increase fibromyalgia symptoms. However, what you consider to be high intensity might be low or moderate intensity for someone else. You can learn to monitor your heart rate and how you feel to figure out how hard to exercise. If raising the intensity is important to you, talk with a healthcare provider and come up with a plan to do this slowly and safely.

After swimming four laps a day for three years, one MyFibroTeam member upped their intensity: “I’m usually up to eight laps, even on a bad day. Because I kept this up for so long, each year I’m able to add more intense and varied exercises.”

2. Heavy Strength Training

Lifting heavy weights can strain muscles and lead to more pain. Using lower weight or resistance can help you increase or maintain muscle strength without causing damage.

A few studies do seem to refute this. Some researchers have reported that heavy lifting may work for some people who have fibromyalgia. If you want to try a more intense routine, talk with your doctor. They can tell you how to do so safely and which symptoms might mean this type of workout isn’t right for you.

3. Exercise That Feels Stressful

Stress can make fibromyalgia symptoms worse. If you don’t enjoy the type of exercise you’re doing, you dislike your gym, or you’re very worried about pain, the stress could make exercise do more harm than good. It can take some time, but finding exercise you enjoy is a good way to help manage fibromyalgia.

4. Extended Exercise Sessions

If extended physical activity worsens your fibromyalgia symptoms, try breaking up your workout. A couple of short sessions a day can have the same effects as a longer one, without triggering the muscle strain that can increase pain. You may be able to work up to longer sessions, but you don’t have to start there.

Join the Conversation

On MyFibroTeam, people share their experiences with fibromyalgia, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What types of exercise help you manage your fibromyalgia? Let others know in the comments below.