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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
You may have noticed: actor Morgan Freeman wore a black glove on his left arm during his appearance during the Oscars ceremony, which took place on Sunday March 12. Why was he wearing that glove? And what is fibromyalgia? The answers of Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
During the Oscars ceremony, which was held on the evening of March 12, actor Morgan Freeman took the stage with Margot Robbie. Spectators and viewers could see his black-gloved left hand.
Why did Morgan Freeman wear this glove?
One of the possible explanations is fibromyalgia, which the actor has suffered since 2008. He was reportedly affected by this syndrome following a serious car accident, after having rolled over several times.
According to the president of Fibromyalgie France, Carole Robert, “car accidents were – for a long time – not recognized as a possible cause of fibromyalgia, but we are coming back to it now“.
According to a collective expertise conducted on fibromyalgia by Inserm in 2019, “despite a large number of studies and the widespread concept of a traumatic origin of fibromyalgia, the level of evidence for the triggering role of trauma (road accidents, cervical trauma) is classified as low by several systematic reviews”.
Anyway for Morgan Freeman, his left arm injured in this accident remained paralyzed, and this glove serves as a restraint to maintain good blood circulation in his arm and reduce his fibromyalgia pain. We could see him wearing a beige glove during the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar a few months ago.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a “syndrome recognized since 1992 by the WHO“explains Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo.There are several entities within this syndrome, it includes physical pain but also a psychic syndrome and fatigue too” adds the doctor.
Fibromyalgia particularly affects women between the ages of 30 and 55. Quite often, a deconditioning of effort sets in with them. “It’s a vicious circle” supports the doctor. “They are in pain and no longer exerting themselves and the less they exert themselves the more they lose muscle“.
To combat this phenomenon, symptomatic treatments can be instituted. “Non-drug interventions are also important. This can be adapted physical activity sessions, with walking, swimming, Nordic walking… Or even stress management sessions with yoga, qi gong or tai chi chuan“he enumerates.
The objective is to resume physical activity, which contributes to the reduction of psychological stress and promotes well-being and relaxation. “It is a multidisciplinary approach that is needed for these patients, and that everyone takes what makes them feel good: some will be relieved by hot water baths, for example, while others will be more cold and it Instead, they will need cryotherapy sessions” concludes the doctor.
Slide: Fibromyalgia: tips for better coping with the disease