Chronic Pain And Exercise: What You Need To Know

One of the worst aspects of dealing with chronic pain is your normally active lifestyle and exercise tends to change. You are unable to do the activities you used to enjoy.

A lack of mobility causes many chronic pain patients to suffer from:

• Depression
• A lack of energy
• Weight gain
• Other health-related issues

But the silver lining is with the right guidance and treatment from an experienced interventional pain management specialist, and you can get your life back.

So to reclaim your normally active lifestyle, start with these guidelines that will allow you to stay physically fit, even as you deal with your chronic pain.

1. Schedule your consultation with your pain management specialist.

A pain management specialist can help you navigate your chronic pain in several ways. First and foremost, they can find effective and minimally invasive treatments that will help mitigate your chronic pain and naturally get you back to your former, active life.

Second, they can help find exercises and routines that won’t exacerbate your pain, which may even help your condition as you undergo treatment.

2. Review exercises that can help your chronic pain.

Depending on your chronic pain condition, there may be several exercises you can regularly enjoy that won’t make your pain worse, which can actually supplement your chronic pain treatments.

These exercises may include the following:

Water Aerobics

Water aerobics can be great for chronic pain sufferers, as the natural water environment eliminates any excess pressure on your:

• Muscles
• Bones
• Joints

Light Weight Lifting

Weight lifting can sometimes help chronic pain by building up the muscles around the affected joints and mitigating the stress placed on those joints. The key is not to go overboard and take on more than your body can handle!

Stretching

Stretching increases your flexibility and helps to loosen your stiff muscles, which can exacerbate chronic pain.

Yoga

A recent study discovered that Hatha Yoga, which is a gentle combination of postures and breathing, can reduce both the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic pain. It can also help with depression and anxiety

This light exercise provides oxygen to your muscles, boosts your energy, and reduces stiffness throughout the body. Just be sure do keep it light and simple, and avoid terrain that may be too challenging.

3. Never start an exercise regimen without talking to your pain management specialist.

With chronic pain, no two patients are the same, and the right type of exercise for a friend or colleague with chronic pain may not be the right exercise for your specific condition.

So schedule your consultation with your interventional pain management specialist before you get back to an active lifestyle.

With a little guidance that corresponds with an effective, long-term treatment, you can stay active despite the challenges of dealing with chronic pain.

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