Do you have chronic pain? Do you forgo exercise because of chronic pain?

According to Utah university,  It is estimated that 20% of adults in the U.S. experience chronic pain. In fact, chronic pain is the most common reason adults seek medical treatment in the United States. And depending on the severity of the pain and location up to 70% of chronic pain sufferers limit their exercise because of pain.

Chronic pain is not easy to deal with on a day-to-day basis. However, for those of us who do live with it, the good news is we don’t have to forego a fitness routine.  In reality, by keeping to a fitness routine, you are actually improving your health, mental health, and physicality, and your body will feel better too. As a matter of fact, did you know that exercise is used as a therapy by many doctors to treat chronic pain as well as depression and anxiety? I have to be honest with you. When I first started my fitness routine, it was hard. But after just a short time I started seeing the benefits. And more than anything, I really started seeing my depression and suicidal thought going away!

The one thing I want to make sure you understand is it is extremely important to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. We want to make sure the exercise you choose is going to be okay with whatever injury, disability, or mobility issues you are currently dealing with.

If you have been dealing with chronic pain for a while or mobility issues it is possible your muscles could be weakened from not being used very much. So when you start a program it’s not going to be easy as it was before your issues. Actually, you might feel a bit more muscle pain because your body is not fit. But give it just a little bit of time and all a sudden you will start noticing more endurance and strength that you haven’t felt in a long time.

So let’s take a look at some of the basic benefits and then we will get into 7 easy exercises that are really good for those of us with chronic pain and mobility issues…

So what are some of the benefits?

According to Harvard Health, mental health improves. While we exercise endorphins are released and go into our bloodstream. These endorphins are the body’s natural painkiller. Did you know that these endorphins are the same ones that are released during playing music, laughing, ultraviolet light, and yes, sex? Harvard says, “endorphins are just one of the four feel-good hormones, and the best way to describe it is a runner’s high.”

SpineUniverse says some of the benefits of exercising, even when you have chronic pain are…

• Exercise keeps your joints moving well. That’s especially important for patients with chronic pain caused by arthritis. And I have said it before in many videos, “Motion is Lotion”
• It helps to keep your muscles strong which supports your bones better. 
• And exercising on a regular basis keeps muscles strong which actually helps you with your daily basic needs and regular life duties such as taking a shower, cooking, cleaning, and even some basic hygiene issues that those of us with chronic back pain deal with.
• It helps you maintain a healthy weight, lose weight and avoid obesity. Well, I can say it has not helped me to loose weight, but I have maintained my same weight for over 10 years now with a fluctuation of nothing more than about 5 pounds,

So let’s take a look at 7 exercises that are good for people with chronic pain and mobility issues. Of course, every BODY is different and you have to take into consideration your area of pain. So some may work better than others for you. It will be a matter of trial and error. And remember to always talk it over with your pain management doctor.

1. Muscle strengthening. Now according to dr. Glass who happens to be the Olympic team sports doctor says two things anyone with chronic pain can do is core strengthening and flexibility. Getting a stronger core, glutes, and back can help reduce back pain. If you have joints that are painful due to injuries or arthritis then getting stronger muscles around those joints can help ease pain a lot. Having strong muscles, doing strength training, can make you more mobile and will support those joints that have weakend.

2. Flexibility training through things like stretching and yoga can also help bring your chronic pain at bay by improving your movement, posture, and muscle pain. It can also help lower cortisol levels in women with fibromyalgia. If you’re exercising, stretching should be done before and after all exercises and should never hurt. You can work on stretching your neck, shoulders, hands, upper and lower back, hips, glutes, ankles and feet. A whole body approach is how you should think of stretching. Things like yoga can be excellent for someone with chronic pain, but remember to go over all the moves with your pain management doctor first. Some yoga poses can put more stress on your joints and can be harmful. For me, Yoga was my first choice after my accident and operation and I still practice three to four times a week. However, I do basic stretching every day, 7 days a week for about 10-15 mins.

3. Swimming is a great low impact exercise. There’s no pressure on any of your joints., Yet it gives you that full body strength training that weight lifitng can give you and it includes the flexibility and stretching of yoga. If you are lucky enough to have access to a pool, regular swimming can be a great source for increasing your endorphins. Try attending a water aerobics class, regular swimming, or even just running in place in the pool. Later you can add weights to your legs and arms and even riding a bike under water.

4. Of course my favorite is walking and Hiking. This exercise can be awesome for building stamina and strengthening your glutes, thighs, calves, ankles. And if you use walking sticks, it can even strengthen your hands, arms, and shoulders. Once you have started with shorter distance walks and build up your endurance and strength, then you should consider trying hiking. But remember to always get the right shoes and gear and take a partner with you if you’re dealing with mobility issues or disability. Walking has greatly helped me with my severely impacted balance as well. After my operation and accident I really had a problem with falling over as I was walking. Once I started my walking program it eventually decreased so much that I barely even notice it today.

5. Tai Chi is another exercise that combines breath control, meditation, stretching, and strength training all-in-one. Tai Chi has also been linked to lowering blood pressure and improving heart health. And we all know that those who deal with chronic pain, mobility issues, and disabilities are more likely to have high blood pressure and heart problems due to the either lack of exercise, stress, and anxiety from constant pain. This is one exercise I have not tried yet but since doing the research for this video I’m actually going to buy a DVD and give it a try. Hey, if I like it, I might do a video on it.

6. Biking is another low impact exercise that can warm up all your joints, and strengthen your lower body which can help with knee pain, hip pain, and even lower back pain. However you need to make sure that you get a bike that is extremely comfortable for your back. That Means  the seat is in the correct height and position as well as the handle bars need to be high enough so you are not hunching over. So take your bike to a bike shop and have them adjust the handlebars and the seats to make it more comfortable for you. And if you’re not into biking on the street or maybe you don’t have good balance, or you own a bike, consider getting a stationary bike. Hey, you can watch your favorite show and exercise at the same time.

7. Lastly consider meditating on a daily basis. Now I know this does not sound like a muscle building exercise, but Learning to relax especially if you are dealing with chronic pain can be a harder exercise than any that I have described. But according to a study by PudMedical central, people who practice mindfulness were able to reduce pain by up to 22%. This may be because it reduces anxiety and depression. Listen, those of us who deal with chronic pain we need to learn to relax. And we all know it’s hard when it’s constantly nagging at your back, your ankle, your neck, your head, or your hands. So learning to relax through daily meditation can really help to reduce that stress which can help bring that blood pressure down as well. There are many free apps to help get you started. Start with just 5 mins and try to build your way to 30 mins a day. This has been an extreme game changer for me. When I miss several days in a row, I notice the change in my self talk, mood and blood pressure. This one can be done, no matter your disability or even how much chornic pain you have. And don;t worry if you fall asleep during it. Congrats, it means you got relaxed!

You have heard me before tell you how exercise has saved my life. I honestly don’t know where I would be or how I would be if I never got off my butt and started back to exercising after my accident. It has helped me with my anxiety, my mood swings, my pain level, my mobility issues, my balance issues, and even my blood pressure has gone down. I feel better not only mentally and physically but also better about myself.

I know having chronic pain, mobility issues, and a disability can be a pain in the gluteus maximus, but today is a great day to start with just 5 or 10 minutes of something. And as you get stronger go for 15, then 20, and so on. Work towards about 30 minutes a day four or five times a week. I’m telling you from one big-boned and broken chronic pain mobility issue person to another, It helps! It has made a huge difference in my life. Just ask my husband and kids! So go out and start moving today.

Until next time stay healthy, stay happy, and stay wise.