Recommendations for resistance training in patients with fibromyalgia

Abstract

It may seem counter-intuitive to purposely stress muscle in patients who have muscle pain. However, a growing body of evidence challenges the assumption that resistance (strength) training worsens muscle pain in people with fibromyalgia (FM). In fact, the latest evidence indicates that when resistance training is tailored to individual needs, people with FM can obtain worthwhile improvements in FM severity. Clinicians need a deeper understanding of how resistance training helps people with FM, so as to prescribe more specific, personalized resistance training to their patients.