Uterine fibroids are a fairly common female gynecological condition. Fibroids or leiomyomas are benign tumors that grow in the muscular layer of the uterus. They often can cause a host of unpleasant symptoms that can interfere with a woman’s normal, active lifestyle. Many women who suffer from fibroid symptoms want to know if they can or should exercise with fibroids and if it will aggravate the fibroids or help to ease their symptoms. Today we are going to answer some of these questions.
Should I Exercise If I Have Fibroids?
“Can I be physically active with uterine fibroids? Are there any fibroid exercises recommended for women with myomas? Are there exercises that I should avoid if I have fibroids?” These questions are asked by many women suffering from fibroid symptoms, which include abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, chronic fatigue, etc.
The answer is yes! You should exercise, but it is important that you choose the right types of exercise so you do not make your symptoms worse. Regular fibroid exercises can help relieve pain or even slow down tumors’ growth. However, fibroids can limit or completely interfere with exercise.
Physical activity can support your overall health, mood, sleep, and heart health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also notes that some activity is better than none. Exercise does not, however, cure fibroids or reliably shrink existing fibroids. Your routine should match your current symptoms, fitness level, and medical guidance.
Why Do I Need to Exercise with Fibroids?
It is important to try not to give up physical activity when suffering from uterine fibroids. Fibroid exercises can actually help with managing the symptoms, and if the fibroids are treated, they can help with the healing process. Exercise helps you keep from accumulating body fat, which is a reservoir for estrogen. This added estrogen stimulates fibroid growth. Exercise also improves your mood due to the release of endorphins.
Excess Weight Increases The Risk Of Uterine Fibroids
Weight gain combined with inactivity and stress is a common risk factor for the development and growth of uterine fibroids. Physical activity helps balance the body by regulating weight, metabolism, and hormonal levels, it also reduces stress and often improves fibroid symptoms.
Can Losing Weight Shrink Fibroids?
Fibroids are exacerbated by estrogen, and excess fat produces excess estrogen. Reducing the amount of excess fat on the body also lessens the risk of fibroids and may even cause them to shrink. Losing weight will not eliminate fibroids, but it may lessen the symptoms associated with uterine fibroids.
For more context on the relationship between symptoms, activity, and changes around the midsection, see Uterine Fibroids and Weight Gain: What Is Tipping the Scale?
How Can Fibroids Interfere With Exercise?
Fibroid symptoms may change what feels comfortable or safe on a particular day. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development lists heavy bleeding, anemia, pelvic pressure, frequent urination, and lower back pain among possible fibroid symptoms. These symptoms can make a usual workout feel much harder.
1. Fibroids Can Cause Fatigue
The first way fibroids can interfere with a woman’s desire to exercise is when they cause a condition called iron deficiency anemia. This is in addition to the heavy menstrual bleeding that many patients suffer from. The significantly decreased iron levels resulting from the anemia will leave women weak and chronically fatigued. This will limit or completely impede any exercise, often leading to weight gain.
2. Exercising With Fibroids Can Cause Discomfort or Pain
If the fibroids are large enough, certain exercises, like sit-ups, abdominal crunches, or medicine ball exercises, may not be able to be performed due to pain and sensitivity created when the anterior abdominal wall is pressed on.
3. Trying to Exercise With Fibroids Can Cause Discouragement
Fibroids often drain a woman’s body of energy. Women may tire easily while trying to exercise and just give up.
Fibroids are firm tumors. When they are located in the front of the uterus, the patient may be able to feel them as they are as hard as rocks. They may cause a belly pooch and even give the appearance of pregnancy. If despite all her efforts she finds it impossible to have a flat stomach with fibroids, she may become discouraged and discontinue the exercise.
If heavy bleeding, pelvic pressure, pain, or fatigue is limiting your routine, learn more about uterine fibroids and their symptoms. A medical evaluation can help identify the cause and guide your next step.
Are There Exercises That Help Fibroids and Make Them Worse?
Not every type of physical activity may be suitable for women with uterine fibroids. It will largely depend on individual fitness levels, symptoms, fibroid location in the uterus, and more. Make sure to consult your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. Follow recommendations on which exercises would be best for you and the ones to avoid based on the locations and sizes of the uterine fibroids.
Why Some Exercises Are NOT Recommended For Uterine Myomas?
Typically, exercises that require intense physical activity are not normally recommended when a woman has uterine fibroids, as these can cause:
- Pain and pressure
- Increased fatigue. Symptoms of fibroids can already deplete a woman’s body of strength and energy, so intense exercise routines may be too much of an added strain.
Exercises to Avoid If You Have Fibroids
- Heavy lifting. Fibroids and heavy lifting are not a good combination, as it can push a concentration of blood flow to the abdomen.
- HIIT training or high-intensity interval training.
- CrossFit
- Exercise with weights depending on your doctor’s recommendations.
- Athletes with uterine fibroids should consult a doctor before beginning professional sports training.
There is no single exercise restriction that applies to everyone with fibroids. A movement may need to be modified if it increases pelvic pain, pressure, dizziness, unusual shortness of breath, or bleeding. People with chronic conditions or limiting symptoms can work with a clinician or physical therapist to choose an appropriate type and amount of activity. Federal physical activity guidance recommends adapting activity to your abilities and health conditions.
Exercises That Can Help Women With Fibroid Pain Relief
Fibroid symptoms can cause extreme discomfort, and eliminating the fibroids is the only way to find true fibroid pain relief. In the interim, some women prefer to use natural remedies such as exercising or stretching to find relief from fibroid pain. Performing some of the following exercises or using yoga for fibroids may help temporarily alleviate some of the discomforts you are experiencing. .
- Daily morning exercises, like turns, bends, and flexion-extension of the arms, legs, etc., performed at a slow pace.
- Water aerobics and swimming.
- Easy jogging, walking, and training on a stationary bike or treadmill at a slow pace.
- Breathing exercises can help with weight loss and reduce stress.
- Pilates is one of the best types of physical activity that strengthens muscles without overstressing the body.
- Yoga does not have the ability to shrink fibroids like the myth you may have heard, however, it can help manage some of the symptoms associated with fibroids. When using yoga for fibroids, ensure you find stretches, poses, and positions that do not add to the pelvic pain and pressure you may already be dealing with. There are many online resources available and yoga sessions designed just for women with fibroids. Search for “Yoga for Fibroids.”
- Cardio exercises can be a good choice, as they help lose extra weight and strengthen your immune system.
- Physical therapy can be helpful in some circumstances due to other health conditions. Light exercises performed under the supervision of a trained medical professional.
At-Home Exercise Options for Symptom-Heavy Days
If leaving home feels difficult, a gentle home routine can still keep you moving. Options include beginner yoga, Pilates, slow range-of-motion movements, and breathing or relaxation exercises. An online class may help you learn the basics. A mat, comfortable clothing, and enough space to move safely may be all you need.
Swimming and water aerobics are low-impact choices that some people find comfortable because the water supports their body. Walking, an easy stationary-bike session, or another moderate cardio activity may also support sleep, mood, heart health, and weight management.
If a movement adds pressure to your abdomen or increases pain, a smaller range of motion, a different position, or another activity may feel better. Stop exercising and seek medical advice if you feel faint, have chest pain, develop unusual shortness of breath, or notice a concerning increase in bleeding.
It is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you suffer from uterine fibroids, with diet and exercise being vital components of this lifestyle. However, living a healthy lifestyle alone cannot cure uterine fibroids or offer you permanent relief from fibroid pain and other symptoms.
Get Help From Experts
Exercise can help keep your body in good shape and contribute to your health. It can help many women better manage their fibroid symptoms but will not treat or eliminate fibroids. If heavy periods, anemia, pelvic pressure, pain, or frequent urination keep interfering with your daily life, a consultation with the experts at the Atlanta Fibroid Center can help you understand your options.
Treatment is individualized according to symptoms, fibroid size and location, health history, and future pregnancy goals. If you are suffering with fibroid symptoms, set up an appointment with Atlanta Fibroid Center to discuss whether non-surgical UFE would be appropriate for you.
This outpatient, 45-minute procedure can reduce and eliminate fibroids and their symptoms, preserving the uterus, while offering a much shorter recovery time than traditional fibroid surgery. To learn more about how to get rid of fibroid pain with UFE, contact the Atlanta Fibroid Center® at (770) 953-2600 or make an appointment online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can exercise make uterine fibroids grow?
There is no established evidence that ordinary exercise makes fibroids grow by increasing blood flow. Fibroid growth is complex and influenced by factors such as hormones, age, and genetics. The practical concern is whether a workout worsens your symptoms, not whether movement “feeds” a fibroid.
Can exercise shrink fibroids?
Exercise does not reliably shrink existing fibroids. It can support sleep, mood, cardiovascular health, and weight management, but a treatment plan is needed when fibroid symptoms require medical care.
Do I have to avoid weights, HIIT, or abdominal exercise if I have fibroids?
Not everyone with fibroids needs to avoid these activities. The right choice depends on your symptoms, fitness, other health conditions, and how each movement feels. A clinician or physical therapist can help with modifications if heavy lifting, high-impact movement, or pressure on the abdomen causes pain, pressure, dizziness, or heavier bleeding.
What exercise is best when fibroids cause fatigue or pelvic pressure?
Walking, gentle cycling, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, or a short mobility routine may be easier to tolerate. Start slowly and choose an intensity that allows you to move without worsening symptoms. Persistent fatigue or weakness deserves medical evaluation because heavy menstrual bleeding can lead to iron-deficiency anemia.
