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Toronto, AL M5N 2M7
Ph: 416-483-2654
Fax: 416-483-2654
christian@orthogate.com






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I've had fibromyalgia for five-years now. Every year I hope for a cure. Every year I try something different but nothing works. Why can't I find a treatment that would at least help me get through each day with a little less pain?

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain problem with widespread tender points and muscle pain throughout the body. Most patients with fibromyalgia also list many other symptoms that seem to be part of this condition. Those symptoms range from depression to fatigue to decreased sexual function and difficulty sleeping. Finding one treatment to alleviate all of the many symptoms isn't always possible. Sometimes finding ANY treatment that helps seems impossible. But studies show there are some treatment modalities that seem to help no matter how severe the condition. One of those is exercise. But the question is: what type of exercise is best? How long should the person perform those exercises each day? And how long before you can stop exercising and just take it easy? None of those questions has been solved completely but we have some information that might help. Aerobic exercise (getting your heart rate up to a target rate) has been shown effective, but it is also fatiguing. And since many people suffer from fatigue linked with fibromyalgia, it's difficult to get up and go when you have no energy. Stretching and relaxation techniques help some, but not all folks with this disorder. One area of exercise that has just come under investigation is the Pilates physical fitness system. Pilates has become synonymous with core training but it is much more than that. For those of you who have never taken a Pilates class, it is a form of exercise that focuses on the core postural muscles of the trunk and abdomen. Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine. They are designed to strengthen the deep torso muscles and protect the back from injury. Breathing is coordinated with movement with a general goal of improved flexibility and health. The developer of this physical fitness system was Joseph Pilates from Germany. He died in 1967 before seeing the tremendous success of his program. In a recent study from Turkey, women following a supervised 12-week program of Pilates training three times a week were compared with an equal number of women who performed a home program of stretching and relaxation (the control group). All women in the study had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia but no other serious health problems. After 12 weeks, the Pilates group had significantly better results in terms of pain and function compared with the control group. The results didn't last, though. By the end of six months' time, the Pilates group was back to the same level of pain, fatigue, and disability as the control group. So we know that although exercise works, it's a management tool, not a cure. Until a cure is found, it's good to know that there are things you can do for yourself. Exercise is one of them. If you haven't tried Pilates, look for a program near you. With over 14,000 certified Pilates instructors in the United States, it is quickly becoming available everywhere.

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