Whilst it might be tempting for the sufferer to relax and not move muscles/joints that are causing pain, moving them can be one of the better preventative and curative measures to alleviate the pain of fibromyalgia. As the muscles and joints are inseparable and what affects one will always impact on the other, then a holistic approach to treating fibromyalgia is required. Traditional massage techniques that desensitise neuroreceptors and soft-tissue techniques that extend contracted tissues, tone weak muscles and decompress motion-restricted joints will be an integral element in managing fibromyalgia. An afternoon or evening massage will facilitate improved quality of sleep in the patients enabling a greater level of nighttime muscle repair to take place.

Gentle exercise is generally recommended for fibromyalgia clients (although the mantra of 'if it hurts then stop' should be adopted - this is definitely not a time for 'no-pain no-gain'). It doesn't matter the type of exercise, just as long as the heart gets a good workout and that the exercise is low impact.

One hypothesis regarding the beneficial impact of exercise is that it increases the supply of natural endorphins that dampen pain and enhance sleep. In addition, exercise can increase levels of serotonin and growth hormones - the very ones that people with fibromyalgia may lack. Exercise also increases the flow of blood to the muscles (massage may achieve the same outcome) - physiological studies have indicated that fibromyalgia sufferers have slightly reduced muscular blood flows. Thus it may well be that massage and exercise together may assist in reversing the debilitating impacts of fibromyalgia.

(1) Lund et al. "Muscle Metabolism in Fibromyalgia ....during Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise". Scandanavian Journal of Rheumatology. Vol 32. Iss 3. 2003