Walking Benefits People With Fibromyalgia

Walking rests our mind and strengthens our body. Few exercises are as liberating as letting yourself be carried away by the steady rhythm of your feet while your heart beats and your gaze relaxes. So much so that, according to studies, going out for a walk on a regular basis can improve the quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia.

The invisible disease par excellence affects almost 4% of the world population, being almost 90% women. No one chooses to have fibromyalgia and none other than the patients themselves know what this unseen pain is, the heaviness of unresponsive muscles, the twinges in the joints and the feeling of being a prisoner of one’s own body.

Although neurologists and other specialists recommend people with fibromyalgia to stay active whenever possible, they know very well that among them all, only 31% are successful in exercising regularly. It is not easy to find the strength to do so, it is not simple to have the courage when the body simply does not respond.

At the Center for Clinical Psychology at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid, Spain, an interesting study was carried out and found very positive results. Something as simple as going for a walk for 20 to 30 minutes a day can remarkably benefit the quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia.

We share the information with you.

Fibromyalgia and sensory hypersensitivity

Although nowadays there is still no unanimity when it comes to determining an origin and an explanation for fibromyalgia, studies such as the one published in the journal “Arthritis & Rheumatology” speak of what is known as hypersensitivity in sensory stimulation.

A touch, an intense visual stimulus, a smell, a bad position, a stressful and anxiety-provoking season… All this causes intense pain, overload and unusual sensitivity that cause joint and muscle inflammation, enormous tiredness and even even migraines.

These aspects can often be seen through MRI scans, as the sensory integration regions of the brain suffer from overstimulation. They are like electrical discharges, like whiplashes that no one else notices other than the patient,  and that completely influence their quality of life.

Overnight, a person is trapped in his own body while the family and the rest of society look at him suspiciously. It’s not easy to live with fibromyalgia, it’s not simple to maintain a determined pace of activity, so, despite what doctors recommend, not all people can exercise regularly,

walk to relieve pain

The study was carried out at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid, Spain, with a thousand patients suffering from fibromyalgia. The results obtained brought a lot of hope: walking reduces the intensity of pain and improves the quality of life of these people.

• The researchers started from the idea that people who suffer from chronic pain cannot muster the strength and courage every day to go for a walk.

• They should try a new strategy, something that would encourage the patient to get out of bed, put on his shoes, and get his body moving when the patient is actually screaming “today we’re not moving.”

We cannot forget either that fibromyalgia is a public health problem that demands multidisciplinary resources, treatments that combine the pharmacological aspect with the therapies that each patient considers to bring benefits for their specific case.

Fatigue, pain and the particular case of each patient

Research by psychologists at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid determines the importance of working with fatigue, not just pain. For this, they created an interesting program to intervene in the attitude and motivation of each patient, with the aim of encouraging them to walk every day for 30 minutes.

• The results obtained were very positive. People experience pain relief, more positive mood, and better overall health thanks to moderate exercise, which takes care of heart, muscle, and bone well-being as well as emotional well-being.

• Even so, it is important to point out here that it is necessary to know the physical state of the body before starting the healthy exercise of walking each day on your own. Some patients with fibromyalgia may have problems with coordination, gait, or even balance.

• Pay attention to your physical condition and consult the appropriate specialists if you suffer from any chronic pain illness. Have proper shoes, comfortable clothes, a bottle of water and good company if you ever feel unwell.

Don’t hesitate to go for a walk every day. Enjoy every step, gift your body with movement and relax your mind with every step. It is worth it.