1. Take a Walk
Walking at least 20 minutes at a moderate pace two to three times a week keeps your muscles limber and strong during a time when you're probably too tired and in too much pain to want to move much. Walking also reduces pain by releasing endorphins into your system. Don't wear yourself out or lose your breath when you walk. Simply walk fast enough to raise your heart rate while still being able to carry on a conversation. You can walk outside, inside on a treadmill or in the water in a swimming pool.
2. Stretch Your Muscles
Gently stretch three to four times a week. Ten minutes of stretching at a time is usually enough to keep your muscles flexible and to relieve pressure on the knots that sometimes form in muscle fibers in patients with fibromyalgia. You can take a beginner's yoga class, or sit on your floor or a bed and stretch your arms, legs, neck and torso to their limits several times in a row. Hold the stretches at their most extreme points for a count of five.
3. Engage in Light Weight Lifting
Lift light weights two to three times a week, doing 8 to 12 repetitions of each move. Lift between 5 and 20 lbs., working your way up as you get stronger. The amount of weight you begin with will depend on your comfort level and physical condition. Bicep curls, tricep extensions, leg lifts and shoulder pushes are all good methods of improving your strength. You'll notice a reduction in pain within about 12 weeks of beginning your strength training program. Improving your strength may also improve the depression that's often associated with fibromyalgia.
