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Weak arms

Posted , 7 users are following.

airyfairy85
airyfairy85

I am wondering whether anyone shares this symptom? Fibro makes my arms feel weak and shaky. Sometimes, when I'm holding a cup of tea it feels like weight-lifting. At work, lifting up my arms to type feels like a huge effort. I also feel a slight burning sensation in my upper arms. I think this symptom is better or worse on certain days...not quite sure whether there's a pattern to it. I don't have much muscle in my arms - wondering if building up the muscle would help? 

4 likes, 19 replies

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  • gloria15237
    gloria15237 airyfairy85

    Posted

    oh yes,  sometimes it feels like my arms are "separating" from the shoulder blades or i have bad pain flares at times that feel like my elbows are being separated from the upper arm bones;  I love to make jewelry and other crafts but there are many many days I can't;  i try to strenghten the muscles by doing hand squeeze exercises or isometric type exercise as much as i can tolerate because i don't want my muscles to forget how to work or get weaker 
  • sorelin
    sorelin airyfairy85

    Posted

    Hi there. I too have shaky hands but not weak arms so much. I drop things all the time as my arms seem to twitch. When I am typing on the computer, i MAKE SO MANY MISTAKES AS MY FINGERS KEEP JERKING OUT AND HITTING WRONG KEYS. Sorry forgot to take caps lock off. My legs do it too but not near so often thank God as last time I fell over in the street and really hurt myself. I have been told that it can be part of fibro. So I guess your symptoms are too.

    Best wishes 

  • Pinkgin64
    Pinkgin64 airyfairy85

    Posted

    Hi there, you're not alone by any means. My arms are sore all the time, varying from a dull ache similar in feel to the dead-arms my brother used to give me as a child, lol he was only playing but it hurt! I never let him know as I would laugh. Anyhow, I digress... today my upper arms are burning and I'm lying on my sofa wthi my hands resting on my laptop and only my fingers typing. I do twitch and have thrown books, breakfast and liquids at myself much to the amusement of my offspring. I was a sports scientist and had developed muscles in my shoulders and arms, since I've had the fibro pain I haven't been anywhere near as active and find lifting anything of weight near on impossible now. I have definitely lost mscle tone in my arms as well as my legs, I refuse to let my abdominals and pelvic floor fall to the same fate so ensure that they are exercised on a regular basis. Hsving just finished a pain management programme I would recommend gentle stretching, holding for three seconds initially then building up to holding for a longer period of time.. The stretching has given me a greater range of movement. Initially my pain levels went up. Aerobic exercise is excellent but high impact is not good.  I swim, it's an amazing feeling upon entering the water as the pain eases away (almost). In contrast , when exitting the pool one gets a heavy feeling but fortunately it's never lasted too long. Exercise isn't easy but it's important to keep your tendons, ligaments and muscles as healthy as possible, it's worth it although when you start do much less than you think in your head or you will crash the next day. It's about pacing (that awful word). The pain can get worse when you start to exercise but with perserverence it does improve flexibility, strength and endurance.... I will add that it is nothing compared to former self but any improvement is good in my book. I wouldn't go for building muscle as such, more toning what you have so that it can perform better.  I hope that helps you, it is a frustrating condition that we have to learn to live with rather than fight against, fighting takes so much more energy. Good luck x
    • airyfairy85
      airyfairy85 Pinkgin64

      Posted

      Hi Pinkgin, 

      thanks for the advice. I actually do swim already, I love it too. It's possibly the only time I don't feel the symptoms - when I'm in the water I feel so light. Always like swimming but have been doing a lot more of it recently - used to go running but have given up on that more or less.

      Find pacing VERY difficult, as I was always very active and busy before. I LOVE doing things!! So upsetting to have to hold back and have to think about whether I'm able to at the moment.

      Thanks for your advice on muscle toning. Would using light weights be helpful, do you think?

      :-)

    • Pinkgin64
      Pinkgin64 airyfairy85

      Posted

      Hi Airy,

      Sorry to take so long to reply to you, I have been forgetting to check my emails only to find over 650 waiting for me...oopsie! My memory has gone west since Fibro struck. It's difficult to believe that in the past I've taught adults and nursed patients.

      Isn't swimming so liberating! The thing I find most difficult is getting out of the water and getting dressed afterwards. It's worth it for the relief and cardio work out though.

      I loathe pacing if truth be told as, like you, I was active and very outdoorsy. My degree was in Sports Science and it was crushing when I could no longer use my body as I had in the past. Over time I have learned to accept that if I push it and do too much then I will be laid out for longer which is beyond frustrating.

      With regards to using light weights, I'm not too sure as I haven't tried. One thing I have done, under the eyes of the physio's at first, are press-up's but against the wall so not pushing your whole body weight. I stand an arms length away from the wall, arms extended with palms against the wall, then move towards the wall until my nose almost touches and then push away. It should be done in a controlled manner. The physio's advised that I did no more than three reps until I knew my threshold. This is to minimise risk of flare, I found that I built up to 10 in a fairly quick time span, over a two week period but I suspect this will be different for everyone. As with any exercise, although it seems gentle and much below anything you may have done previously, it is always wise to warm up and stretch before exercise and to cool down and stretch following your activity. This minimises the risk of injury and also helps to get rid of any lactic acid that may build up in your muscles.

      I don't think I mentioned before but when I had my bloods done I was low in folate and also Vitamin D. I've been on supplements prescribed by my doctor and will have my levels checked again next month. I have always had a healthy diet with regular oily fish so was somewhat taken aback. Since then my boyfriend has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and is also lacking in Vitamin D. As the sunshine vitamin I would have thought he would have had plenty as he is out everyday with his work so gets more sunshine than I get these days. Thankfully he does not get as much pain as I do so, although he has cut his hours, is still able to work.

      I hope you feel much better soon.

      Gin smile

  • hope4cure
    hope4cure airyfairy85

    Posted

    Hi,biggrin

    ask UR doc for PT to slowly and in a no pain way to help build up muscle . It helped me tremendously. They send u home to repeat exercises each week and before u know it u can hold a cup of tea no problem..also u might want to take a full panel blood test to ck for any physical issues that could be addressed.

    • airyfairy85
      airyfairy85 hope4cure

      Posted

      Thanks so much for the advice, think that's a good idea about the physio. The weakness is new since the fibro started - did you have a similar experience? Didn't have any problems before. I've been prodded and poked by needles a lot in the last few months, have had several blood tests done and nothing unusual has showed up - thyroid, vitamins+minerals, blood counts, lyme disease and anti-body screens.
    • hope4cure
      hope4cure airyfairy85

      Posted

      Hi,

      Yes I had experienced a lot of weakness. I found it very disturbing. I was strong,independent and ran my own business. Worked long hours had a lot of energy. All of a sudden weakness, loss of concentration, energy levels plunged to a all time low. 

      It's quite a struggle thru a journey that seems unending. Learning and coping with new limitations was and is still is a struggle. It's something different every day. I am grateful to have so much in life. Take one day at a time. It does get easier.biggrin

  • Bouncyville
    Bouncyville airyfairy85

    Posted

    My main problem is my arms and shoulders. I used to have a chiropracter but it got too painful. I find acupuncture a great help and swimming helps you excercise without too much strain. Also I have just purchased a neck brace which I just wear when sittiing watching tv or in the car for a long time. It seems to take the pressure off my shoulders and ease the pain.
    • airyfairy85
      airyfairy85 Bouncyville

      Posted

      I haven't yet tried acupuncture, but I love swimming and go twice a week. Does the acupuncture relieve pain or does it also help with general symptoms?
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 airyfairy85

      Posted

      its along process iv been having it for two years you need weekly sessions and yourlooking at around £40 i have it mainly to keep my digestion in order i wouldnt say its not  very good for fibro pain, and some of the points can be very painful.more for problem areas of fibro

      like with me  my digestion.

      i am not a whimp but some points make me squel .

      most good acupunturist will give you a taster to see if its suitable, beware that sometimes it can make the pain worse at first, i wanted to concentrate on my back and neck area when i satrted but for me it seemed to stimulate the pain which lasted about 4 days it was unbrearable,then it was much better ,

      it was also less painful when less points were done but obviously it takes longer. i found reflexolgy a better alround treatment ,just no one local to me.

    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 airyfairy85

      Posted

      i meant to say i would not say its good for general fibro pain.

      i havent got my glasses and i cant be bothered to get up

  • Flowerlady
    Flowerlady airyfairy85

    Posted

    Hi...Talking of holding a cup of tea...I just dropped mine by accident obviously it went down my boobs, and burned like hell!! I since having fibro do tend to drop things. It was a quick exit to the bathroom to clean up and apply savlon to the rather red area!
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 Flowerlady

      Posted

      god i am always dropping things it drives me mad .

      if  i burn myself i use aloe vera gel its cooling and soothing and a natrual antiseptic

    • airyfairy85
      airyfairy85 Flowerlady

      Posted

      You poor thing - ouch! Hope you are ok now. I know how you feel. I was always a bit clumsy but since the fibro started up it has gotten a lot worse. Keep hitting into doors, dropping things etc!
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 airyfairy85

      Posted

      i am always walking in to doors and catching myself on door handles it makes me feel sick . if its sticking out or up it will catch me its like i am drunk .with out the pleasure
    • airyfairy85
      airyfairy85 tiswas24537

      Posted

      lol! We all need to be more careful! I will have to start drinking my tea out of a baby cup with a lid smile
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 airyfairy85

      Posted

      if its the weight of the cup how about trying a melamine cup like they used to use for picnics .or a square squat mug thats not top heavy .just a thought
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