Fibromyalgia and Pool Therapy

Last month I began Physical Therapy. (I am doing everything I can to try to ease the pains of this dreaded disease). Because of the Fibromyalgia, water therapy was recommended. So, down into the water I went, doing walking laps and other various leg exercises. It felt pretty decent while I was doing it. Once out, I managed to get dressed and head home. I was quite stiff upon getting out of the car… I had lunch waiting for me by my sweet blessings and then proceeded to collapse on my bed in a rather fatigued way… only to awake two hours later in intervals of painful movements. Yes! I think the PT is… working??? (sarcasm)

That first morning after, I could barely walk due to the toe and foot exercises in the pool the day before and my hands would not participate in the normal movements of the morning either, all from holding onto the rails in the pool for the “step” exercises. Was I giving up? Well, I wanted to. I wanted to say “NOT ANYMORE!” However, I decided to give this a six week chance. I have read that you have to get through more pain to help control THIS pain. (I am thinking that the person who wrote that does NOT suffer with these conditions!) 

I continued on two times a week for the entire six weeks. Some weeks I had to cancel a session due to the pain, some weeks I made it to both. Some days I took Motrin just to get through it, some days I took Motrin after I got home. All in all, I feel that the Pool Therapy was more of a hindrance to my body than a benefit. It made it harder for me to get through my daily life instead of help. 

But that is how it affected me. You may be different. Ask your doctor if Pool Therapy is right for you. If your doctor is like mine he will let you try in the hopes it’ll bring you relief, but until you do try, you will never know!

Gentle Hugs!