What’s with telling me to exercise with chronic pain?
If I had a dollar for every time a medical professional or a well-meaning friend told me I just needed to get out and exercise or move more, I would be able to take a 10-day trip to Disney every year. A trip with all the frills for the rest of my life! I bet you could too! My desire with this next series of blog posts is to help you understand how and why you can move. To give you the confidence to exercise with chronic pain, and that it really is possible.
I think it’s important to note a few things here. When I say exercise with chronic pain, what I mean is movement. Any movement that you enjoy. That may be going to the gym to lift heavy things, that may be a ballroom dance class. It may be gardening, refinishing furniture, or ice skating! The type of movement makes no matter, it simply needs to be something you enjoy and want to do! I feel like the term exercise is limiting in my own mind, so as you are reading, remember this exercising with chronic pain is a bigger concept than classes at the gym, it also includes daily movement!
But I’m in PAIN!
Have you ever really considered why these well-meaning friends and professionals keep telling us to exercise when we are in pain, chronically? This “advice” really confused me, honestly. I would think to myself… you told me not to move if it hurts, so I stopped doing almost everything. I have no idea how to go from 18-20 hours in bed to “exercising”, I can barely make it to the bathroom! Have you thought about these things? Have you had this mix of rage, confusion, irritation, and disbelief that I have? If you have experienced some of these feelings, or are simply curious, keep reading, and let’s next explore WHY people keep saying this!
Benefits of exercising with chronic pain
It’s important to know research shows us that movement and exercise may be very helpful to reduce pain and improve function for people with musculoskeletal pain. In fact, when comparing the generalized movement to specific exercises your PT might give you. Or anything else you might do in PT, general exercise had the best results in helping chronic pain. My bias is this is because pain can take our joys, hobbies, purpose, and meaning away. As we get those things back, in some way, we begin living again and no longer just existing. I don’t know anyone who just wants to exist. As if you needed any more reasons why exercising, even with chronic pain helps lower pain… here is a long list of benefits.
Relieves pain
- Most importantly, movement helps turn the dial down on your ‘pain volume’ by accessing the body’s own in-built pharmacy. Our bodies are pretty darn cool and have a lot of amazing ways to help us feel better. The chemicals that accompany movement are one of them
Good for your general health (heart, lungs, muscles, and joints)
- Lowers blood pressure
- Controls blood sugar
- Helps control weight
- Good for the heart
- Lowers cholesterol
- Improves bone strength
- Helps with weight control (important if you have additional chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease)
Good for your brain: exercising helps maintain a healthy brain as you age
- Improves memory
- Enhances your immune system
- Reduces stress
- Improves mood (especially depression)
Extra Benefits
- Helps improve sleep
- Reduces stress
- Relieves constipation
- Improves sex
- Reduces falls
AND… my personal favorites
- Reassures you that some pain with movement is OK and does not mean you are doing harm.
- Keeps you active and capable of doing what you want to do. Exercising with chronic pain allows you a happier and more meaningful life! Don’t we want that?
- Improving function (e.g. one’s ability to engage in daily household tasks, work, socializing, etc.) through movement and exercise has profound beneficial ‘bonus’ effects, including reduced disability, reduced depression, and improved physical conditioning, and increased quality of life. WOOOO HOOOOO!
All that sounds great Amy, but what if it hurts when I start exercising with chronic pain?
Let’s be honest. I expect that to happen. I haven’t had my “normal daily chronic pain in 7.5 years now ( April 2021). However, I have been a sloth through the COVID pandemic and have not moved very much. Ya know what happens when I start moving again? I’m sore, sometimes very sore. Sore enough to call it pain. Uncomfortable enough to have to yank out my flare plan. Frustrated enough to realize I didn’t pace! I am unaware of anyone who goes from not exercising to exercising and doesn’t experience some unpleasant experience! You are not alone.
When we remember that all our scans are unremarkable, that we have been looked over head to toe with nothing serious out of sorts, we can also remember, pain doesn’t always equal harm. It’s a hard lesson to convince yourself of. I get it. I really do. However, it’s really important to understand WHY it’s ok for you to get back to living in your life and why it’s ok to exercise, even if you have chronic pain.
Note to self: exercising with chronic pain…
Start slow, where you feel safe.
Be mindful, we often tense up when we are worried about a movement – this tends to increase your pain and feelings of stiffness! Underdoing isn’t helpful either. For us to grow our lives, we have to give ourselves little challenges. Those challenges enable us to grow our world and move beyond our pain. If you need help figuring out where to start, why not book a consult with me, let’s get you sorted and started!
What exercise is best for chronic pain?
The one that you will do! no, seriously. Don’t pick something you hate, pick something you love or at least like, and get started there. Maybe it’s laps around the house, maybe it’s a short walk, or maybe you will start painting again, or crocheting. Pick something!
For those that want more specifics, here ya go.
- ‘good for your health’ exercise (walking, cycling, swimming)
- relaxation and stretching (yoga, tai chi, stretching, breathing)
- strength and conditioning (building muscles up)
- balance and agility
The Bottom line on exercising with Chronic Pain…
In conclusion, It’s scary. I get it. However, it is also important to our overall health. When we don’t move, life is small and quite frankly, sucks. Let’s do like Nike says and “just do it”. We can get moving beyond pain together. Do whatever it takes to get started and have fun! We only get one life and you should enjoy this one!
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References
- Daenen L, Varkey E, Kellmann M, Nijs J. Exercise, not to exercise, or how to exercise in patients with chronic pain? Applying science to practice. The Clinical journal of pain 2015; 31(2): 108-14. [PubMed]
- Kroll HR. Exercise therapy for chronic pain. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2015; 26(2): 263-81. [PubMed]
- Uthman OA, van der Windt DA, Jordan JL, et al. Exercise for lower limb osteoarthritis: systematic review incorporating trial sequential analysis and network meta-analysis. BMJ 2013; 347: f5555. [PubMed]
- Erickson KI, Leckie RL, Weinstein AM. Physical activity, fitness, and gray matter volume. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35 Suppl 2: S20-8. [PubMed]
- Geneen LJ, Moore RA, Clarke C, Martin D, Colvin LA, Smith BH. Physical activity and exercise for chronic pain in adults: an overview of Cochrane Reviews. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jan 14;1(1) [PubMed]
- Mostagi FQ, Dias JM, Pereira LM, Obara K, Mazuquin BF, Silva MF, Silva MA, de Campos RR, Barreto MS, Nogueira JF, Lima TB, Carregaro RL, Cardoso JR. Pilates versus general exercise effectiveness on pain and functionality in non-specific chronic low back pain subjects. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2015 Oct;19(4):636-45. [PubMed]
