Exercise

It is quite natural for people with fibromyalgia to shy away from exercise, when you are in pain exercise may be the last thing you want to know about or think about. Exercise is essential for help in coping with the pain, gentle exercise will help with mobility and keep muscles flexible, it should be done regularly and consistently.

Stretching exercises can be done on the bed, in the shower, while sitting watching tv, never exercise without a warm up period and never exercise when you are cold or in a cold environment, fibromyalgia patients do not fare well in cold weather or cold swimming pools, swimming is an excellent form of exercise for fybromyalgia patients, you will experience benefits if the pool is warm, taut muscles equals stiff painful muscles and will feel more ''achy'' if you are in a cold water environment.

Learning the Jacobson Muscle Relaxation technique will aid you, ask your physiotherapist to teach you the technique.

Exercise is a vital part of a patients care, initial training should be supervised with the input of your Medical Care Team, do not embark on a exercise regime without their advice, as essential as exercise is it is important that you do not exercise outside of your limitations, you must know what you can do and what you cannot do, stretching is the first stage to an exercise programme.

The group have exercise booklets on the resource stand and exercise information, keeping an exercise diary is as essential as a pain/sleep diary, these may be purchased from the group every month at the group meeting.

50p for a one week diary, £1-50 for a six month diary.