Stretching and Screening for Tender Points for Fibromyalgia Patients

It is Important to Keep the Neck Area Flexible and Loose

Stretching and Screening for Tender Points for Fibromyalgia Patients, what you need to know. If you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia then you are well aware that stretching can be beneficial in many ways.  The stretch that will be described helps stretch the neck muscles which in turn helps relax shoulder and back muscles.  It is very important to keep the neck area nice, flexible, and loose, because it tends to tense up and begin to get very tight where those sore spots may occur in the neck area.  This stretch is simple yet affective.

Start by inhaling through the middle, engaging core muscles.  Then, exhale and drop the ear to the shoulder.  Keep your shoulders down, that's very important, stay very tall.  Now, as you take that down, drop the chin to the chest and roll it around.  Still stay very tall using your back muscles.  Then, hold to the other side.  Take a breath then exhale and roll the chin along the chest, to the ear.  Hold that again and then take a deep breath.  Remember those ribs are opening, but the abdominals are in.   Exhale and roll to the other side.   Take another breath, with an inhale, open those ribs.  Then you'll exhale.  Keep the face soft and the eyes relaxed.  Try not to tense in the shoulder area.  Now, bring that backup and with a slight tug on the top of the ear or the head, very easy.  Drop that over and take a deep breath.  Hold that for one breath and then switch to the other side. Remember not to hold for too long at one time.  If you have fibromyalgia, usually one breath is good, and then move to the next one.  Then simply stay very tall, drop the chin to the chest, kind of loosen the neck in a very easy tug, then hold it to the center and look back up again.  Repeat those steps.  Then, drop the chin down, inhaling, and exhale and loosen real easy.  Again, keep the shoulders back.  You'll want to do that one more time through.  So the overall stretch includes  the neck stretch to the ears, to the shoulder, again, back to the chin to the chest, and do it at least three times through. Take deep breaths throughout the different motions.  Stay present in every move, letting other thoughts go, and relax the mind.

Tender Points Are Different Than Trigger Points

It has been determined that the criteria for fibromyalgia diagnosis begins with the presence of 11 of 18 tender points as described by the American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. Digital palpation of approximately 4 kilograms force per centimeter squared with painful response is considered positive for a tender point. Now remember, these tender points are different than trigger points as seen in the myofascial pain syndrome. There are nine paired tender points in fibromyalgia. Let's talk about these paired tender points.

The first is in the region of the upper cervical's and occipital region. So you're going to apply pressure of approximately 4 kilograms per centimeter squared and ask if that's painful. If the area is tender or sore, that's not positive for a tender point. The next area to be covered is the lower cervical in the area of the C5 through C7 presets bilaterally.  Apply 4 kilograms force and ask what feeling comes to mind. If the feeling is pain, that's positive. Anything else is not positive. Then look at the upper trapezius bilaterally, the supraspinatus muscle we palpate and apply pressure bilaterally, this second costochondral junction, which is in the front. Then go to the manubrium, the sternum and countdown to the second rib, apply pressure there, on both sides. Then do the lateral epicondyle.

 If 11 Out of 18 Points Are Positive

Next are the wrists.   Apply pressure in this area at the insertion of the wrist extensors.  Go down to the greater trochanter region and apply pressure there. And finally, apply pressure over the medial knee. Look for tenderness over the medial collateral ligament that produces pain.  Evaluating these various areas of the body will lead to the conclusion of having a positive tender point, or not.  Again, if 11 out of the 18 points are positive the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is affirmative.

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