Colleen Black-Brown, M.S.
BCBrown@fibrofog.com

            Colleen is a specialist in the causes and treatment of fibromyalgia. Since 1997, she has been designing and conducting research and intervention programs for fibromyalgia clients using the F.L.I.P. approach (Fibromyalgia Lifestyle Intervention Program). 

F.L.I.P., the exercise intervention program she designed and initiated in 1997, is targeted towards increasing exercise tolerance and muscle tone enough to mask the pain and symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. This program includes an exercise prescription and guidelines from the beginner to advanced levels. 

Colleen was an invited speaker at ACSM’s Health and Fitness Summit meeting in San Diego, California in 2000. She spoke on Exercise Prescription for Fibromyalgia clients.

Her initial interest in fibromyalgia was sparked when she experienced a major flare–up of this debilitating condition in 1995. She and her husband, Dr. Barry Brown, are widely renowned for their efforts to increase public understanding of the positive impact that sound exercise can have on reducing the symptoms of fibromyalgia.Colleen presently has filmed three videos on Fibromyalgia. One video geared toward helping the client is called Fibromyalgia: The Exercise Connection- Get Ready, Set, Go! This video discusses ways in which fibromyalgia sufferers may improve quality of life through exercise, sleep and stress management, posture, nutritional behaviors and positive attitude. The other two videos are geared specifically towards the personal trainer and how to implement the F.L.I.P. program. These videos provide a detailed explanation of the different phases of FM and factors that should be considered when prescribing exercise for each phase. This video explains the “how”, “when”, and “what” of appropriate exercise programs for fibromyalgia patients that health and fitness professionals need to know in order to prescribe successful programs to their clients who suffer from this painful medical condition.