No matter what the philosophy has to say about pain and gain, nobody likes the pain. Though pain is good as it is a signal telling us something’s wrong with our body, bearing it for too long can be hard. Many medications and treatments have been proposed to treat chronic pains but exercise tops it all. Let us tell you how to treat your chronic pain with simple exercises that make a big difference.
What is chronic pain?
While the pain could be of many types, chronic pain is surely the most annoying one. Chronic pain is the one that lasts for 3 months or more and usually doesn’t leave your body until treated. At first, it might not bother you much, but with the passage of time, it affects your daily life activity. Chronic pains can be the result of psychological or physical causes.
Best exercises for chronic pain
Physical activity is an all-rounder in terms of health benefits and it’s also a great way to treat chronic pain. Here you’ll find the best exercises that can be followed to get rid of the pain.
1. Stretching
What could be better than stretching your muscles to make their stiffness go away? People who stretch often are less likely to experience chronic pains. Stretching helps in improving the range of motion while increasing the flexibility of the muscles which helps in relieving chronic pains.
2. Yoga
According to the research, the brain structure can get altered by chronic pain due to changes in the connections and volume of white and gray matter in the brain. Studies made in this regard have found the positive effect of yoga on the brain, as it assists in pain management and protects the brain structure. It also is a very reliable exercise to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and circulatory health.
3. Walking
Chronic pains can be managed with a simple exercise like walking. Even if you take a walk from your home to school, that’s considered an exercise too and helps with chronic pain. During the walk, most of the muscles get worked out which eventually reduces the pain and stiffness in the muscles.
4. Pilates
Pilates being a low-impact workout, can help in treating chronic pains. Pilates focuses on the flexibility of the body while working simultaneously on its posture, strength, balance, and alignment. Pilates has been commonly used for physical rehabilitation as the movements created during this workout relax the muscles and also reduce stress.
5. Aquatic exercises
Water aerobics and exercises performed in warm water can also help in decreasing the pain symptoms. Other than swimming, all the other aquatic exercises are performed in the vertical position and are known to be low-impact exercises as they put very little pressure on the joints. Such aquatic exercises can be considered a good option for people with joint issues.
6. Biking
Although biking is considered one of the most beneficial exercises for the lower body muscles, it is also a great workout to reduce pain. The alternate movement of the legs helps in warming up the joints and muscles, which alleviates the pain. For people with chronic pain, biking at a slow speed is recommended.
7. Tai Chi
Though it’s a type of Chinese martial arts, it has been found effective against chronic pain. It is considered a low-impact exercise, as it is performed in very slow motion. During this exercise, people practice meditation, stretching, breath control, and mindfulness, which makes it a mind-body exercise. The improved flexibility, stamina, balance, and coordination obtained as a result of Tai Chi helps in assisting chronic pain management.
8. Weight-lifting
You might wonder why weight-lifting? Isn’t it to just build muscles and also it is a known fact that it can cause muscle pain, then why? Weight-lifting is an efficient way to build muscles, and when these muscles are in good shape, there is a very low chance of muscle stiffness. Also, people who suffer from chronic pain, when lifting a weight, experience the warming up of muscles which helps in the treatment of chronic pain.
9. Resistance training
Resistance or strength training workouts are usually performed to enhance muscle strength and resistance. Studies found that such workouts are also beneficial for reducing the effect of chronic pain. The use of elastic bands, free weights, or working against the body weights improves the support that muscles can provide to bone and cartilage and thus reduce the chances of chronic pain as well.
10. Daily life activities
Washing dishes, cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, mowing the lawn, bathing, in short, all sorts of daily life chores also contribute to your daily physical activity. If you are unable to exercise regularly, even doing daily chores will help you with chronic pains, as these chores also incorporate movement in your daily routine.
Conclusion
As disturbing as pain could be, exercise can help you cope with it. Chronic pain affects daily life and hampers thinking abilities as well. That’s why, exercising regularly will keep your muscles healthy and flexible, which will reduce the chances of chronic pain. And even if you get to experience it, exercise can help you treat it as well. The point is to keep an active lifestyle, no matter what.
I look up to fitness as a lifestyle and love to pen down about it. I have 2 years of experience in content writing and I am here to share my research and knowledge on health and fitness.
