Did you know that exercise and activity are associated with an increased life expectancy? Just 15-30 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your health.
Beyond improving your health, it can also help ease pain and increase your quality of life. If you suffer from chronic pain, this guide provides examples of exercise and activity that you can incorporate into your life.
Although it may seem better to avoid exercise when you’re in pain, staying sedentary can do more harm than good. There are large amounts of evidence to suggest that exercise and activity are more beneficial in pain reduction.
It rehabilitates injuries by strengthening muscles and bones.
For example, doctors may recommend that patients with arthritis exercise to reduce discomfort. Doctors may suggest easy, range of motion exercises and low impact aerobics.
The doctor may also suggest working with a physical therapist for joint protection and to improve body mechanics. Plus, physical therapists can create individualized exercise regimens specific to your pain.
Aerobic exercise can be a great component of a wellness routine. Aerobic exercise is any type of cardiovascular training like swimming, biking, running, or walking. It helps to build a healthy heart and lungs.
If you’re using aerobic exercise for pain management, you should target the muscles and joints causing the discomfort.
In several studies, even moderate levels of aerobic exercise have been shown to reduce pain.
Resistance training is focused on specific muscle building and includes bodyweight and weight lifting. It’s great for exercise therapy because it helps build strength and improves overall mobility.
You can tailor your resistance training to your injuries. For example, back pain can be improved by light resistance training to build stronger abdominal and lower back muscles.
Another example is patellar tendonitis. Resistance training can be used to build stronger quadriceps surrounding the tendon, which reduces the discomfort and pain over time.
Flexibility exercises include activities like yoga, pilates, and stretching. Just 10 minutes of flexibility work a day can make you more agile. It also improves posture, stress, and fatigue.
Plus, flexibility exercise reduces the likelihood of injury and can prevent future pain.
For more information on exercise and pain management, you can seek help here.
These are all the ways that exercise and activity can improve chronic pain and your quality of life. If you’re a beginner, take small steps and build up to longer and more intense workouts. The last thing you want to do is burn out in the first week of starting.
Consistency and patience is the key to getting results. So, why keep procrastinating? Start your new exercise routine today!
And for more ways to improve your health, be sure to check out the rest of our blog. We have a bunch of other articles on health and fitness that you’ll love!
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