What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder of the musculoskeletal system that causes chronic pain in many different parts of the body. It is often accompanied by fatigue, sleep problems, memory lapses and mood issues. Doctors and researchers believe that fibromyalgia alters how the brain processes pain. They believe that pain experienced by those affected becomes amplified and feels worse than it actually is.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

• Age
• Overuse- from work, play, sports...
• Previous Injury- existing damage to joints and loss of function from use.
• Obesity
• Genetics
• Degenerative conditions- RA, Lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, gout

Why Is Fibromyalgia Painful?

Common Fibromyalgia Hotspots-

• Hands
• Wrists
• Knees
• Ankles
• Hips
• Lower back
• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Neck

How Physical Therapy for Fibromyalgia Works?

Adjusting Movement: Finding the root of the problem will help our physical therapists to create a personalized treatment plan that will help with correcting the main cause(s) of fibromyalgia pain. In most cases, there are specific movements that cause a patient pain and that offers our physical therapists valuable insight on where and how to start the fibromyalgia physical therapy treatment plan.

Pain Management: People living with fibromyalgia typically have to tolerate related aches and pains everyday, leading to a loss in quality of life. Our physical therapists can help alleviate the pain by using different manual therapy techniques and other modalities, along with specialized stretches, massages, and exercises to help reduce pain associated with fibromyalgia.

Restoring Alignment, Muscle Strength, and Symmetry: With the ever-changing dynamics of the human body, you may find overtime that some muscles may have shifted. Exercises used with physical therapy for fibromyalgia can help you to restore muscle symmetry, as well as, enhancing the alignment of your joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Stretching & Breathing Exercises: With all types of physical therapy focusing, on breathing is very important. By utilizing different breathing exercises and using the prescribed stretching techniques on a regular basis, you will be able to slow the progression of fibromyalgia symptoms, while easing some of the associated pain from fibromyalgia, increase range of joint motion, while strengthening supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Posture Awareness: When someone has fibromyalgia, there are certain postures that may make their condition worse or even cause excruciating pain. Therefore, it is important to be aware of your body’s entire posture. Once you are aware of how different postures may affect you, it will be easier to begin to correct the issue at the potential source.

Joint Mobilization: Depending on where the fibromyalgia are located, your physical therapist may recommend methods to alleviate some of the daily stress put on the affected joints. Some of these options could include correcting posture, finding different ways to move, or utilizing braces or orthotics.

How can physical therapy stretches and exercises help my fibromyalgia?

• Helps to stabilize joints, surrounding muscles, and tendons
• Promote better joint alignment
• Allows for mobilization of any stiff muscles and tendons
• Improvement of posture
• Enhances neuromuscular control
• Assists in relieving pain
• Increasing muscle strength
• Improved cardiac function

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help alleviate your fibromyalgia issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20 different bone spur PT sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized fibromyalgia physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet from the comfort of your own home.

Common Fibromyalgia Treatments-

• Rest
• PT
• OT
• Massage
• Hot and Cold packs
• OTC pain relief medicine
• Orthotics and Bracing
• Injections
• Ultrasound
• Diathermy
• Surgery
• New non-invasive options

Can I benefit from Fibromyalgia Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is an excellent nonsurgical treatment for fibromyalgia, arthritis, and RA. However, depending on the severity of your case, bracing or surgery may be recommended. With bracing, you will wear a brace to provide problematic areas additional support to prevent any additional injury and in some cases, even some pain relief. If you have a severe case of fibromyalgia then your doctor may prescribe medicine, consistent fibromyalgia physical therapy treatment sessions, bracing, and/or surgery.

Chronic Pain: If you or your child has chronic pain related to fibromyalgia they may benefit from physical therapy for arthritis, related stretches and exercises, and manual therapy.

With fibromyalgia physical therapy the main goal is to slow the progression of fibromyalgia symptoms, to strengthen surrounding muscles and tendons, and to prevent future injury. If you or someone you care about is suffering from fibromyalgia, then physical therapy may be a good choice. To learn more about this form of treatment for fibromyalgia, or to schedule a consultation, feel free to reach out to my team and I today.