Why you need to exercise:
Limitations in activities associated with daily living have been reported to be as high in patients with FM as in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Many individuals with FM have been shown to be sedentary with levels of cardiorespiratory fitness well below average. Underlying pain, fatigue, and depression are likely to contribute to sedentary lifestyles, and therefore, low levels of fitness. However, exercise has positive effects on global well-being and physical function!
There are also beneficial effects on pain, tender points, and depression! When compared to not exercising, aerobic exercise training can:
- Improve overall well-being by 7 points on a scale of 0 to 100
- Improve ability to perform aerobic exercise; by using 2.8 ml/kg/minute more oxygen when walking on a treadmill.
- Increase the amount of pressure that can be applied to a tender point by 0.23 kgs/cm2 before the onset of pain.
- Reduce pain by 1.3 on a scale of 0 to 10.
Resources:
- www.americanpainsociety.org