Exercising with chronic pain is tough. I’ve been there before – I get all excited about some trendy HIIT cardio video or influencer’s “20 minutes to perfect abs” routine, dream about my new perfect body, do the routine consistently for about 3 days, and then never do it again. Afterwards I’m sore, exhausted, have no energy to do anything else in my day, and actually wind up feeling worse in the end.
But! I hear it all the time: “You have to push yourself to exercise regularly! It’ll help your chronic pain!” Well, I’m not going to tell you to push yourself because I know that living with chronic pain you already do push yourself – probably every day – just to get out of bed…and then to perform literally every task after you finally do get up! What I will say is DON’T push your body past it’s absolute limit. You know yourself best, and it could set off a flare up or just not be sustainable to keep up with because it takes way too much effort and energy to do daily.
However, I do believe that the saying is true “a body in motion stays in motion.” So here are some tips and ideas that have helped my pain and motion and that I believe can help you stick with some form of exercising long term.
stretch every morning
I like to make sure I ‘grease the wheels’ a little every day. Stretching is super low impact and is so beneficial for your body. Stretching can increase flexibility and range of motion, improve posture, and decrease pain. I’ve started doing it first thing when I get out of bed so it’s become part of my morning routine and I don’t have to consciously make time for it later in the day. It’s become total habit at this point and it feels great to start the day nice and loose. You should try to look up (or ask a professional) gentle stretches that cater to your specific areas of pain and discomfort, but these are some examples of the stretches I do daily.
– Shoulder circles (forward for a minute, back for a minute)
– Slow head circles in each direction
– Lay on the floor and rock in “happy baby” yoga position, or just squeeze my knees to my chest and let them drop to each side for a bit
– I’m not sure if it is considered a ‘stretch’ but I do “chin tucks” every day to counteract neck pain and forward head posture
walking
I love walking because it’s such an adaptable and versatile form of exercise. Living with chronic pain you could have varying levels of ability depending on the day. If you’re having a good day you can walk faster and farther, and if it’s a bad pain day just go for a leisurely stroll. You can walk outside in nature, or in your house on a treadmill. The treadmill is perfect for days when I don’t have the motivation to get ready and leave the house, and in the cold winter months when I just don’t want to!
yoga
Another great form of exercise is yoga. It uses your own bodyweight and can help reduce stress. Who couldn’t use a little more ‘Zen’ in their life?! When I’m feeling up for it I really enjoy doing in person yoga classes because I love the calming energy and atmosphere. However, you could also purchase a yoga mat, a bolster block, light a candle and follow some at home videos or DVD’s!
With any form of exercise you choose, the most important thing to remember is to go at your own pace. Don’t compare yourself to others and don’t set unrealistic goals. Start small, work your way up. And always be kind to yourself!! If you can’t finish a workout or you feel like you need to skip a day – that’s totally fine! Some days the most I accomplish is getting out of bed and watching TV or playing my Switch all day. So maybe today is hard, but tomorrow is a brand new day! We’re all just doing the best we can!
What are some workouts you’ve found to be beneficial for you and your chronic pain?