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Can strenuous exercise cause FM?

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Posted 9/18/2010 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
I do not have fibromyalgia but a family member does. I also have interstitial cystitis, which may be related to FM. I want to reduce my risk of getting FM eventually.

For fun and fitness, I recently took up indoor rock climbing (bouldering). However, it is very strenuous (short YouTube video) and carries a risk of injury.

Doctors often recommend that people with FM shouldn't do high-impact exercise. But if I don't already have FM, should this concern me?

I'm especially curious if anyone here feels that strenuous exercise or a sports injury was related to the beginning of their fibromyalgia symptoms.

Thanks!
Posted 9/18/2010 5:12 AM (GMT 0)
Good question. I wasn't exactly a maniac before I developed fibro, but I did love to do Nautilus, and I did it slowly to get the maximum impact. One instructor told me that I had the best form on the machines he'd ever seen (my weights weren't real heavy, though.) So maybe the muscles were given too much resistance? It's something I've always wondered about. I developed fibro during the years when I exercised a lot, but then, I also had 3 kids during that time. So who knows?

Debbie
Posted 9/18/2010 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
I use to be a walker. I walked everywhere and a lot. But it seemed that when I slowed down I had the problem with fibro. But I was also under a lot of stress when this happened.

I really don't think strenuous exercise can cause it, if anything I think it would keep it at bay. But I think exercise should be done in moderation like everything else. You can tear tendons and muscles. My stepson just tore the tendon in his arm. They had to put a screw into his arm and attach it. So do everything in moderation.

I hope that this helps some.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 9/18/2010 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
I dont know about exercise Chris, but I do believe that any type of serious injury could bring on fibro. I believe I have had fibro since I fell off a horse when I was very young. However, I dont think we can make a bubble out of our lives because of fear of getting fibro so if you really enjoy rock climbing then don't deny yourself that pleasure. Look on life optimistically and enjoy it. If you do ever get fibro then at least you will have the memories of good times and not the sadness of I should have done that when. Fibro is not a death sentence and many of us that have it have been able to live our lives with meaning. Feel free to come and ask questions we have a great family here and Im sure you will get other replies soon.
Gentle Hugs
Shirley
Posted 9/18/2010 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
Good question and one I have often pondered. When I was in my late 20s and all through my 30s, I was an exercise FIEND...seriously...training in Tai Kwon Do 4 nights a week and Saturday, sometimes taking a double class (3 hours) and it was intense cardio, not to mention the warm up and cool downs. Also spending 90 minutes in the morning on a stair climbing machine with pools of sweat under me when I was done (sorry, I know gross, but true!). I also walked my dogs DAILY at lesat 2 miles and if I wasn't working out, then it was up to 6 miles. That in addition to working full time and raising my son and two step sons. I did have two car accidents and it was after the accidents that I was diagnosed with FM...but I really often wonder about all the exercise...I think I'm paying in other ways too... lousy back, degenerating disks, arthritis. I agree we shouldn't put ourselves in a glass box and worry about what could happen and just enjoy life. I just wish I had known about the wearing away of joints that exercise can do. Would I have done things differently? Not even sure. I LOVED to exercise, I really did. I loved the way it made me feel. If it's a passon, then I say go for it.

Miriam

Posted 9/18/2010 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
I use to cross country ski, and it gave me that endorphine high. I really miss that now. Every winter I plan to go, but don't get out there because of the weather. Maybe this year. It really burns calories too.

I hope that you all are having a wonderful day.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 9/18/2010 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
Docs recommend that people with fibro skip high impact because it hurts more than low impact. If it hurts more, you won't do it.

If you took a poll, you'd find that some of us exercised a lot all the way to some rarely ever exercising. If your choice of exercise causes you to get injured frequently, then you might be at increased risk of fibro.

I'd say go for it! I plan to go indoor rock climbing in the spring, I just need a little more time to build up my upper body strength.
Posted 9/19/2010 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
No. Strenous exercise in and of itself cannot "cause" fibro. Bring on a nasty flare? Yup.

From my understanding there are three primary ways to develop fibro: severe emotional trauma, central nervous system trauma (neck injuries), and intense viral infections. I happen to believe that for those of us that develop fibro from these things, we had certain "factors" about our make up that made us more prone to fibro rearing it's ugly head in our lives than the rest of the population.
Posted 9/19/2010 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Chris, and welcome!  Well, I was a sedentary Mom and came down with all the pain within a 45 minute period while watching television.  So, I wouldn't worry about exercise.  If your friend can do this without it causing them more pain, then that's good.  But most of us couldn't do that type of exercise without paying a big price in pain.  We use gentle exercise like walking and swimming.

 

I hope your friend is doing fine.  Let them know about this forum.  We do have good ideas and give good support.  We'd love to have them join in.

 

Sherrine

Posted 9/19/2010 5:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi ,

 I was an avid runner for about 10 years. Numerous 5ks, 10ks,  several 1/2 marathons and 2 marathons.  I loved running.  I also did weight training, yoga & swimming. (although you would never know it now by looking at me) sad

BUT, my rheumy said it's usually brought on by a traumatic event/stress.

Which for me could have been when I was diagnosed with breast cancer 4 1/2 years ago. Or it could have been 2 years ago when my husband was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer.  Either way, my dr says I've been through so much that it's no wonder my body is acting the way it is.  So I definitely think a traumatic event is a trigger for fibro.

Deb :-)  

DX:Fibro, RA, Degenerative disc disease, carpal tunnel, ulnar tenndinitis, bulging discs (L4 & L5), osteopenia, depression & Breast cancer survivor.
MEDS: femara,neurontin,ativan,plaquenil, prednisone,percocet,fluoxetine
vit.& supplements:black cohosh, even.primrose oil, vit.C, calcium w/D, turmeric, green tea extract

Post Edited (1flwrchild) : 9/18/2010 11:24:23 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/20/2010 12:31 PM (GMT 0)
I'm thinking that strenuous activity doesn't cause FMS. I'm thinking its much more obvious and noticeable when it happens, because you can no longer do all that stuff anymore.
Then again, maybe if FMS does turn out to be a muscle metabolism-type problem, our muscles just can't keep up anymore, and over-using them taxes them sooner than if we hadn't used them so much.
I'm becoming more and more aware of how my muscles don't respond "like they should".

I've needed physical therapy in the past (and present) for knee problems. Even though I do all the exercises like I'm supposed it, it sometimes looks like I haven't been doing them, because I don't loosen up, like "normal" people do after exercising.
Sorry to get off-track.
I'm also convinced that a female's changing hormones towards perimenopause has a huge impact on muscles.
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