I recently spoke with someone who has, for a number of reasons, not been doing any exercise for several months. She works at a job that keeps her in a chair all day. In addition, she has both fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. She is in a certain amount of pain all the time; and her pain is more intense at other times.

She recently told me she has started swimming every day. She is being very sensible and starting slowly and swimming longer as she builds strength and endurance. She is also now able to do exercises in the water, which provides the needed movement and exercise without the pain and risk of damage to joints from the impact of a number of other types of exercise.