For people living with chronic pain, exercise is often the last thing they want to do. However, while you may not feel like exercising, lack of physical activity can actually make your pain worse. As your muscles become weaker without regular exercise, your joints can become stiffer. For people suffering from continuous muscle and joint pain, feeling worse is not an option. Learn how exercise can help improve your chronic pain and how you can get started!
The Benefits of Exercise for People Living With Pain
Regular exercise keeps your muscles strong, and your muscles support your entire body. Strong muscles are essential for people who have arthritis-related pain or back pain, as they help support these joints and encourage proper movement. For example, someone with back pain can benefit from strong core muscles, which help support the back and keep the body moving.
Physical activity is beneficial to the brain too. People living with long-term pain are more at risk of challenges with their mental health, including depression and anxiety. Staying physically active releases endorphins, which are natural chemicals the body releases to fight pain and increase comfort and happiness. For extra mental health benefits of physical activity, try exercising with a friend.
Staying active also helps you stay at a healthy weight, which is important for many people with chronic pain. Excess weight can cause increased stress on the back and other joints, especially the knees and ankles, which can exacerbate pain. Exercise can help you stay fit and healthy, and may just help reduce your pain!
How to Get Started With Exercising
Committing to any type of physical fitness can feel like a challenge when you suffer from pain. You’re not alone in feeling like exercise is impossible when you feel poorly. The good news is that working with a physical therapist or experienced physicians at a pain wellness center can help you safely and comfortably get started with exercise.
These professionals will identify the types and frequency of exercise that would benefit you the most. They consider your current level of mobility and pain, as well as things you enjoy doing. Love being outside? Walking could be a safe and effective option. Enjoy being in the water? Swimming offers many benefits for those with restricted motion. The best part is that the more you exercise, the better your mobility and strength will be and the more you’ll be able to do. Don’t feel overwhelmed with getting started—our pain and joint clinic can help!
Suffering From Chronic Pain? Contact Our Pain Wellness Center Today
Summit Spine & Joint Centers can help you on your journey to a pain-free life. Have you tried exercising with chronic pain? Our pain management specialists can help you get started with an exercise program to benefit you, in addition to helping you implement the appropriate measures to reduce your pain. Call our pain and joint clinic at (770) 962-3642 or contact us online today!