Rebuilding Confidence in Movement with Fibromyalgia
As clinicians, we’ve long known that fibromyalgia (FM) is more than just widespread pain. It affects how people move, think, and feel. Yet, most of the research and treatment has focused almost exclusively on managing pain, often through medication, with limited results.
That’s why I’m proud to share our recently published paper, “Motor Control and Functional Impairments in Fibromyalgia: A Narrative Review”, written in collaboration with my colleagues from The Carrick Institute in the USA, including Dr. Norman Hoffman, Professor Frederick (Ted) Carrick, and Professor Monèm Jemni. Together, we explored an under-recognised but vitally important question:
How does fibromyalgia affect movement, balance, and coordination—and what can we do about it?
This latest publication shines a light on the connection between pain, balance, and brain function — and at Coelevate, we’re proud to translate that research into real-world care every day.
What We Found
Our review revealed that fibromyalgia doesn’t just change how the body feels — it changes how the brain and body communicate. People with FM often experience:
Reduced balance or postural control
Changes in walking patterns or slower gait
Muscle weakness and fatigue
A sense of instability or fear of falling
Slower reaction times and “fibro fog”
They’re signs that the brain–body communication system is under strain. The nervous system is trying to protect, but it becomes overprotective, reducing confidence in movement and increasing fatigue.
These symptoms often lead to a cycle of fear of movement (kinesiophobia), reduced physical activity, and worsening fatigue or deconditioning. Over time, that inactivity can compound physical weakness, mood changes, and loss of confidence in daily movement.
The Cycle of Pain, Fear, and Inactivity
Many people with FM understandably begin to fear movement (a phenomenon known as kinesiophobia). Unfortunately, this avoidance often reinforces the problem — the less we move, the weaker and less coordinated we feel, which increases the fear of falling or worsening pain.
At Coelevate, we see this pattern often, and our approach is built on changing it — safely, gently, and strategically — using principles grounded in neuroscience.
Pain and fatigue understandably make movement difficult—but avoiding movement can actually reinforce the problem. When people with FM move less, their balance, coordination, and confidence decline further, making the condition even harder to manage.
Our review showed that motor control deficits—things like poor posture, unstable gait, and slowed reflexes—are common but overlooked in fibromyalgia care. These issues aren’t “just in the muscles”; they reflect changes in the nervous system that affect how sensory information is processed and how movement is controlled.
How We Can Help Retrain the Brain and Body
Our findings support what we do every day at Coelevate: a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach that includes physical, psychological, and neurological care—not medication alone. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Brain-based retraining and chiropractic neurorehabilitation
By assessing balance, coordination, and posture, we identify how the brain is communicating with the body — and use targeted neurorehabilitation strategies to restore confidence in movement.
Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy
Because pain isn’t just physical, we integrate psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy right here at Coelevate. This helps calm the nervous system, reduce hypervigilance, and release stored emotional tension that can amplify physical symptoms.
Graded, confidence-based movement
We design individualised exercise plans that rebuild strength and coordination without triggering flare-ups. The focus is not “no pain, no gain” — it’s “move safely, move often, move confidently.” Approaches like balance retraining, and proprioceptive exercises all help rewire the brain’s sense of safety in motion.
Integrating body and mind
Research — and our clinical experience — show that combining physical and psychological care delivers the most lasting improvements. When clients understand what’s happening in their nervous system, fear reduces, and movement becomes possible again.
As a clinician and researcher, I see fibromyalgia as a whole-person condition. Understanding how pain interacts with balance, coordination, and confidence gives us new ways to support patients—not just to reduce pain, but to restore function and self-trust.
A More Hopeful Path Forward
If you live with fibromyalgia, know this: it’s not ‘all in your head’ and you’re not ‘imagining’ your symptoms. Your body and brain are working overtime to protect you. The goal isn’t to push through the pain—but to gently retrain your system to move, balance, and live with greater ease.
This research represents a step toward that goal—helping clinicians better understand the why behind the fatigue and instability, and empowering patients with new, evidence-based ways to regain control over their movement and confidence.
Dr. Nicole Quodling, M.Chiro, M.Neuroscience (Carrick Institute)
Motor Control and Functional Impairments in Fibromyalgia
Coelevate Chiropractic – Walkerville, SA
With co-authors: Dr. Norman Hoffman, Professor Frederick (Ted) Carrick, Professor Monèm Jemni – Carrick Institute, USA
Image credit: @jonflobrant Unsplash
