No Pain No Gain?

We’ve all heard that saying before. But when you have chronic pain, we can’t adopt this strategy. Pain can cause inflammation; more pain causes even more inflammation. We want to decrease pain as much as possible. Exercise is good and we all need it, but it is important to listen to our bodies and what it is saying.

If you’ve had chronic pain for a long time, you probably already know all about our nervous system and how it works in regard to pain. Pain receptors become “set off” quicker than others. It becomes a downward spiral. Pain causes inflammation, which causes more pain. Managing pain can be extremely challenging. I want to provide you with simple tips to allow you to continue to exercise, but not cause more inflammation and pain. As always, consult your physician before beginning a new exercise regime.

• Stay within your available range of motion. Have you taken a yoga class? You see people twice your age going twice as far as you. You want to be like that. Don’t. It will cause more pain. How do I know this? I’ve been there. When I wasn’t in the best shape, I felt that yoga would be a good idea. I tried to keep up with the others, in turn, causing low back pain. It is so important to listen to your body, and don’t judge yourself by the others around you. You can only do so much, and that is good enough
• Isometrics make me better than eccentric/concentric movement. Okay, what does this mean? Isometric is when two muscles contract at the same time. When you hold a position, for example, hold your arm straight out in front of you, there is a co-contraction of the muscles that allow your arm to stay out straight. Now, put your arm down, and raise it up and down again. That is a concentric/eccentric movement. This type of movement can cause more inflammation and pain rather than a steady hold.
• Body mechanics. Holding items close to you when lifting is very important to decrease stress on the joints and the muscles. If you are completing bicep curls, make sure your elbows are tucked in close to your sides. Depending on your pain and where, limit lifting overhead, as that causes a tremendous amount of stress through the joints.

When it comes to chronic pain, exercising is not always the “end all be all”. It’s important to realize that the way we move our body is sometimes more important than the exercises we are doing.

Remember, pain is the way our bodies communicate to us. Listen, learn, and follow-through. I’ve helped countless individuals with their health and wellness journey to rid pain for good. Old habits are hard to break. That’s why it takes a coach and healthcare professional to understand where you are, where you want to be, and how we can get you there.