Strength Training May Ease Fibromyalgia Symptoms
(NY, Reuters Health, 2/27/03)

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder involving muscular and joint pain, as well as stiffness, fatigue and irritable bowel syndrome. Doctors typically have not recommended strength training for patients with this condition because they believed that it might exacerbate the symptoms. Dr. Daniel S. Rooks, of the Harvard Institute of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, and associates, decided to test this belief by putting 15 women who were suffering from fribromyalgia on an exercise regimen that included both aerobics and strength training. At the end of 20 weeks, the researchers found that the women’s strength and endurance improved and their pain, stiffness, fatigue and depression decreased. These findings suggest that an exercise program that includes strength conditioning may be safe and beneficial for women suffering from this syndrome.