Exercise and Pain Management

Exercise programs can be quite effective for treating and preventing any type of pain (especially chronic pain). However, you should always discuss it with your physician before engaging in any exercise program, especially if your condition is quite severe. If done wrong, exercises can actually harm you.

Besides managing pain, exercise programs deliver a whole set of benefits both for your physical condition and psychological disposition. Exercising keeps your whole body and muscle tissue in shape, helps fight excessive weight, improves sleep and alleviates anxiety. Your mood becomes much more relaxed, focused and positive in general. It is also very beneficial for your heart and blood vessels.

The type of exercise required in your condition may involve one type or many types of activities. Here are some examples of such activities that can help you manage pain:

Flexibility

Exercises that involve a lot of stretching (like yoga for example) help you build up good flexibility, but they won't improve your endurance or muscle strength. But it all depends on what your doctor feels more beneficial for you. Maybe you don't need strengthening exercises at all, and namely stretching and flexibility are the keys to your improvement.

Flexibility exercise tips:

• Warming up is a must before stretching
• Flow into the next position slowly and steadily, don't make rapid movements
• Avoid locking your joints, make sure to leave some space in your joints while doing stretching exercises

Exercises involving much stretching help manage chronic pain in the low back and the pain of fibromyalgia.

Strengthening

Exercises aimed to increase your strength often involve repetitive movements and lifting or pushing of weight in order to make a specific muscle group work intensively. This helps keep your muscles in shape and increase your overall strength, which can be very beneficial for managing certain types of pain.

Strengthening exercises tips:

• Avoid doing strengthening exercises with the same muscle groups for 2 days consequently
• Increase weights gradually to increase the effects of exercising in a natural manner
• Doing 8 to 15 repetitive movements in a row is optimal
• Don't hold your breath nor breathe very rapidly. Take a breath as you relax and breathe out when lifting or pushing the weight
• Your movements should be steady and smooth. Don't lock your limb joints when exercising

This type of exercises helps manage chronic pains in the lower back. But like with any exercise program, you should consult with your doctor before starting any regimen.

Aerobic

Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises usually involve the activity of large muscles in your arms and legs. Such activities typically increase your bodily activities like heart rate, breathing. The best ways to do so is to walk, run, swim, ride a bike and so on. The most important thing here is following a schedule so you should choose an activity to which you can devote at least 30 minutes a day (not including warm ups). Choose an activity that you like the most and won't be bored doing.

General aerobic exercise tips:
   

• The key element here is endurance, which should be built up gradually. Don't start with extensive exercises, you may want to perform any activity for as long as you feel comfortable doing it. Don't push yourself too hard right from the start.
• In case you had little activity lately, you might want to start with little effort in order to avoid much contrast and stress to your body
• The aim is to gradually achieve 30 minutes of exercises daily. Performing endurance exercises every day is ideal
• After performing cardiovascular activities it is recommended to do a bit of stretching activities
• Use special equipment if performing injury-risky tasks like biking

Cardiovascular and aquatic exercises were reported to effectively help in cases of chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.