Managing Fibromyalgia: Gentle Movement and Pain Relief

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and localized tenderness. It is believed to involve central sensitization, where the central nervous system amplifies normal sensory signals, processing them as pain.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

• Widespread pain felt throughout the body, lasting for at least three months.
• Chronic fatigue and waking up unrefreshed.
• Cognitive difficulties (often referred to as "fibro-fog").
• Tension headaches and irritable bowel syndrome.

Graded Physiotherapy Management

Physical therapy for fibromyalgia requires a gentle, customized, and progressive approach:

1. Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise: Activities like walking, swimming, or water aerobics release endorphins and reduce pain sensitivity without over-exerting the body.
2. Graded Exercise Therapy (GET): Slowly building exercise tolerance to avoid post-exertional symptom flare-ups.
3. Gentle Stretching: Restoring muscle length and reducing tension without triggering inflammatory responses.
4. Stress Management & Education: Deep breathing, relaxation techniques, and education on pain science to downregulate an overactive nervous system.

At Sparq Physiotherapy, we work within your comfort zone to slowly build activity tolerance, using graded movement to help desensitize your nervous system and reclaim energy.