Chronic Pain and Exercise

One of the best things a person with chronic pain can do is exercise. However, it is the one thing that most people with chronic pain seem to avoid. The feeling seems to be "why exercise when moving hurts me?" and that is a very valid point. It may indeed make you feel worse after starting an exercise program however you will eventually begin to feel better as you progress. Exercising regularly though will increase your stamina and regulate pain messages so that you will hurt less day to day. Exercise is a proven way to release your body's natural painkillers, called endorphins. These pain killers last in the body and help ward off new pain. Exercise also helps regulate weight that can contribute to chronic pain levels.

What Exercise Does

Your joints will stay moving.

Your muscles will strengthen.

You will have more stamina.

It helps manage pain through endorphin release.

It will increase your energy.

Your heart will strengthen.

It will improve your overall health.

It will help control your weight.

It will reduce your stress levels.

Your Exercise Plan

To begin your exercise plan designed to help with your chronic pain, you will need to check with your doctor to see what is right for you. However, by starting slow you will eventually need to get up to exercising three to five times a week for half an hour to an hour each time. You will also need to incorporate flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises, and aerobic exercises in your workout.

Flexibility -Flexibility exercises includes yoga, stretches, and pilates. It will help keep you limber and mobile.

Strengthening - Strengthening exercises includes lifting weights. This will build muscle tone and improve bone condition.

Aerobic - Aerobic exercises includes biking, walking, swimming, and dancing. It will keep your circulation good, your heart healthy, and will help aid in weight loss.

Exercise That Increases Pain

Exercising without a proper warm-up or stretching beforehand.

Overdoing your exercise plan or overusing your joints.

To do any exercise that will hinder instead of help your pain condition.

Are You Overdoing Exercise?

You may be overdoing your exercise routine if you are experiencing any of the following:

Increased, or new, pain that lasts an hour past your exercise routine

Lesser range of motion than before your exercise routine

More fatigued after exercise than before it

Weaker after your exercise than before it

Source: Arthritis Foundation, Exercise Regularly, Collected Feb. 2008

http://www.arthritis.org/exercise-regularly.php

Arthritis Foundation's Guide to Pain Management, Susan Bernstein, 2003, ISBN 0-912423-39-0