Hey there and welcome back!
Some of you may be going through a disease known as fibromyalgia.
It is known to cause pain and fatigue.
The magnitude of this pain is sometimes enough to keep you up at night.
While that may sound scary, there are ways to help yourself if you have this problem.
You can try walking, stretching or even aerobics.
In this video, we will talk about all of that AND more.
#1 Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient martial art that is very effective even today.
If you are going through fibromyalgia then this could be the exercise for you.
Tai Chi elevates a human being's mind and body awareness.
As such, it isn't just beneficial for you physically, but psychologically as well.
In fact in a study, it was found that Tai Chi is actually more effective than other
exercises.
Participants who did Tai Chi regularly had a symptoms reduction of 16%.
Now you might be thinking, "It is just 16 percent.
It is not a big deal."
Well, it is kind of.”
Even a symptom reduction of 8% is considered clinically significant.
In this case, the reduction is two times more powerful.
I think I better sign up for some Tai Chi.
#2 Yoga
If you thought Tai Chi was the ultimate form of alternative exercise, here is another one
for you.
Similar to Tai Chi, Yoga is all about body movements.
Most Yoga exercises include stretches, mind and body awareness and slow physical movements.
How effective is yoga?
Well according to a study, yoga can help ease off the pain that we get from fibromyalgia.
Along with fibromyalgia comes depression.
Doing yoga can keep it at bay.
This is why we recommend that you try yoga if your mental health is suffering.
Keep in mind that doing yoga or Tai Chi doesn't mean that you shouldn't perform other exercises.
As a matter of fact, you should do as many as you need to.
Treat yoga as a bridge between light exercises and harder workouts.
#3 Strength Training
This is mainly recommended for those looking to build muscles in their body.
But that isn't the only purpose of this exercise.
There are many others.
Experts agree that strength training can improve the quality of life for individuals with fibromyalgia.
This is mainly due to the fact that strength training involves resistance exercises and
weight lifting.
As such, it can help build your body's core strength.
More importantly, it can strengthen your muscles.
It can also reduce pain and fatigue.
This doesn't mean that you can do a full-fledged intense workout on day one.
Instead, you need to start very slowly.
If you start off heavily, you may injure yourself.
So, please proceed with caution.
Before we continue with our video, here is something for you.
Feel free to check out our latest entry discussing "8 Exercises That Help Fight Depression and
Make You Happy."
Now let’s continue with our video.
#4 Aerobics
Experts have said that aerobics could improve the pain in muscles.
They have also stated that aerobics improves muscle function and stiffness.
Based on that, it wouldn't be wrong to say that aerobics is a good exercise for anyone
with fibromyalgia.
Additionally, aerobics could help with fatigue and make you feel happy.
It is already a known fact that aerobics elevates mood.
Research has shown that aerobics can help people with anxiety.
It has also shown that it can improve your mental state.
In case you are worried that aerobics might be a little too heavy on your joints, we suggest
that you opt for something lighter like Tai Chi.
There are some exercises in Yoga that are also lighter.
#5 Walking
This is an exercise I’m sure most of you could do without difficulty.
Walking may seem like a very simple activity, but it’s still a useful exercise that can
fight against this disease.
There is plenty of research to confirm it.
So don't think twice before putting on your walking shoes.
You don't really need to do classes for this exercise.
You can do it anywhere and anytime.
You don't have to breathe a certain way or dress in a particular fashion.
Just go for a 15 to 20 minute stroll.
That is all you need to do.
On that note, check out our recommended exercises for 2020.
Since that's over, it is time to talk touch on an extremely important exercise.
One you should perform before any of the workouts mentioned above.
#6 Stretching
Stretches are a relaxing exercise.
You have to make sure that you are being gentle with yourself.
Be careful not to overexert.
Otherwise, you may hurt yourself.
Once again, hurting yourself isn't the goal.
So just move gently when doing this exercise.
Additionally, while doing this exercise, try and keep a good posture.
It will help you stay in shape and avoid muscle stiffness.
As we stated earlier, the idea is to make sure that your body is relaxed.
We wouldn't recommend you stretch while already in pain.
That takes away the point of doing this exercise.
If you feel any pain, stop before you do more damage.
Be gentle with yourself.
It is important!
In case you haven't been with us for a very long time, this isn't our video on exercises
for pain.
We have done another video titled, "7 Exercises To Relieve Knee Pain Immediately."
If you haven't checked it out, please do.
Moving onward!
Alright, we have told you about the overall exercises that will treat fibromyalgia.
It would be a crime for us not to specify a few distinct methods.
These are some of the different types...
#1 Bridge Pose
Bridge Pose or Settu Bandha Sarvangasana is one of the most common types of yoga exercises.
For this exercise, you would need to lie flat on a mat or floor.
After that, take a few deep breaths and slowly lift the lower half of your body upwards.
Your waist will take the lead, while your feet will stay planted on the ground.
Once you have raised your waist, try and hold your knees with your hands.
If you are new to this workout, the first few times will be a challenge.
Be patient as your body builds strength.
If you feel pain while doing this then don't try it.
#2 Corpse Pose
While this name sounds quite frightening, it is actually a very useful exercise.
All you need to do for this exercise is lay on your back, while facing the ceiling.
After this, breathe in and out slowly.
Concentrate on the stress while breathing out.
This allows you to stay calm.
That is all there is to it, lying flat on your back.
For this, Corpse Pose is called Savasana in sanskrit.
A very simple exercise.
If you do not have a mat, have no fear!
You can do it over any flat surface, as long as you feel comfortable lying on it.
#3 Side Bend
Well this is one of the stretches that we were talking about earlier.
For this one, all you would need to do is stand on the floor with your legs apart.
Once you have done that, you can slowly stretch your left arm overhead and bend a little towards
your right.
Keep your right arm on your leg.
Once you have achieved the pose, keep it for a few seconds.
After this, you can slowly come back to the resting position.
Similarly, you can repeat it for your left side.
If you do 10 repetitions, you will start seeing results in a few months.
#4 Shoulder Rolls
Another very simple stretch exercise.
First of all, you need to stand up straight and relax your shoulders.
After that, start rolling them towards your ears, and then switch back towards your rear.
As simple as it seems.
This is an effective stretch exercise.
The best part about this exercise is that you can do it before a side bend.
For best results, make sure to repeat the sequence about 2 to 3 times.
Another thing that we would like to remind you is that none of these exercises are alternatives
for medication.
They are meant to assist you with the problem, not cure it.
Do you know anyone with fibromyalgia?
Have you ever tried any of the exercises?
Let us know in the comments below.
We would love to hear from you!