When you live with chronic pain, even the easiest daily tasks can seem daunting. Activities that once seemed routine and easy to handle may trigger episodes of pain that are short-lived, and sometimes last for days and even weeks. While some people find relief from medications and alternative therapies, it can be disheartening to contend with losing your ability to be as active as you once were. Exercise for chronic pain can help you in a multitude of ways, so let’s take a look at some activities that don’t require going overboard to get you feeling better.

Reclaiming Your Mobility – Activities and Exercise for Chronic Pain Patients

No matter what the cause of your chronic pain, and regardless of whether you want to get back to exercising or you just want to live pain-free, finding exercises that don’t cause flare ups and can help keep you moving physically can seem impossible. There’s no reason to fret – there are low activity, moderate forms of exercise that can help get you some relief. Not all exercise needs to push you to the limit, and finding physical activities and exercises for chronic pain can help you become more flexible while keeping your body from rebelling and causing you more pain. 

Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels Certain types of yoga are an excellent way to get active if you’re living with chronic pain. Chronic pain and exercise don’t have to be overwhelming; ensure you’re taking it slow, don’t over exert yourself, and don’t push yourself past your comfortable limitations.

It’s no surprise that pain, especially when it’s constant without relief, makes us want to do anything but get up and move. Studies show however that leading a sedentary lifestyle due to chronic pain may, in fact, keep us from regaining our mobility and becoming comfortable again. When we are inactive our muscles and joints weaken, which in some cases may cause us even more pain. 

By starting slow, and not over exerting yourself, the goal from a functional wellness approach is to ease yourself into regaining muscle mass and upping your energy levels. Of course your energy level and strength isn’t just about physical activity. In order to feel your best, taking your diet and nutrition into account are important factors too. Below are some easy, stress free but effective exercises that won’t stress your body or mind too much, in the hopes you can get back to doing what you love, pain free.

• Taking a walk – It may not seem like an effective form of exercise, but even at your slowest, the health benefits are there. While brisk walking at a rate of around 3 mph is most effective, getting up and moving for 30 minutes a day can improve your circulation, help with balance and muscle tone, and can improve your mood and overall mental health. If your limitations keep you from reaching a full 30 minutes, that’s ok! Start small and push yourself to comfortable limits.
• Yoga and stretching – Simple stretches and certain types of yoga are great to get your limbs and joints moving, and on your way to less pain. Hatha and aerial yoga are two forms of yoga that are low impact, and aren’t hard on your joints. As with all forms of exercise, moderation is key.
• Water aerobics – Walking or exercising in a pool can be a fantastic way to get active and keep the physical stress on your body to a minimum. Make sure you find a pool with warmer water temperatures. The warm water can help relax your muscles while alleviating traction on your joints. 
• Weights – Not all weight lifting is maximum effort. Your activity goals don’t have to include bulking up. It’s important to consult your doctor, and pair up with a physical fitness or weight lifting instructor, but lifting weights can help target the muscles associated with your chronic pain. This can help strengthen those structures to make them stronger, and hopefully help alleviate some of your pain for the long term.

Chronic pain can make even the simplest tasks hard to complete, and a life full of pain is no way to live. If you’re living with chronic pain, please give us a call at (610) 265-0502 or visit our website to set up a free consultation. We’d love to help you achieve a pain-free lifestyle through functional medicine.