When you think of chronic pain, exercise might be the last thing that crosses your mind. You might think moving will be more painful. However, several studies reveal various forms of exercise can help manage chronic pain and improve your quality of life. Learn about five of these types of activities.
1. Stretching
Stretches are the most gentle form of fitness activity for people of all ages, especially older people. A session usually includes flexibility training that aims to improve the range of motion of diverse body parts and reduce tightness in different muscles.
Chronic pain is mainly caused by limited mobility around certain body areas. Stretching five times per week for six weeks can increase the range of motion by up to 2.4 degrees weekly for each muscle group. Stretching promotes better muscle blood flow, increasing the nutrients delivered to them.
2. Cardio Exercises
Many people love cardio training for several reasons. For one, it doesn’t have a specific format. Any movement that raises your heart rate and elevates oxygen flow is considered cardio. It means your exercise can come in the form of play, hobby, or cleaning or the usual styles of walking, bicycling and jogging.
If you live in a multi-generational household like 20% of people in the U.S., running around, playing with and chasing your adorable grandkids can pass as a type of cardio. In addition to being a lot of fun, you build muscle strength and flexibility to increase your pain tolerance.
Another great idea is to access fun cardio workouts via stream services, such as YouTube videos. You can find countless cardio routines online, completely free of charge. This can allow for a wide variety, mixing things up so you don’t become bored with a stale daily routine.
3. Water Aerobics
Any activity performed in water can benefit people with chronic pain conditions. Water exerts an upward force, making the body buoyant. As a result, it alleviates the stress on the joints so you can exercise less painfully.
Moreover, the water’s force slows body motions, preventing painful sudden movements. If you rotate your shoulders on water, for example,, you can do it gently. Explore several types of water aerobics, such as aqua jogging or walking, water bicycling, and one-leg balance. Exercise is a prescription for a multitude of conditions, and doing it for 150 minutes each week can get you out of a sedentary lifestyle.
A small study conducted in 2008 found that after 12 weeks of regular aquatic aerobic exercise, participants had made significant gains in strength, flexibility, and agility.
“The current results suggest that a 12-week water aerobics program, held twice a week for 50 minutes per session, contributes favorably to improve explosive strength, especially of the upper limbs. Moreover, it reduces the body fat mass and the systolic blood pressure,” says the study.
4. Yoga
Yoga is a low-impact activity that has multiple benefits. Depending on the type of yoga class you join, a session may combine balance, flexibility, and resistance training. As a workout, yoga is an all-body, well-rounded training since doing various poses targets every muscle.
As a mindfulness practice, it has added benefits for mental health and chronic pain. A study found that two yoga sessions for eight weeks have improved the pain severity of older participants.
5. Resistance Training
According to a HealthyWoman survey of nearly 1,000 women, nearly half of the participants admitted to needing opioids to manage their pain, despite their risks and lack of efficacy. The survey also found that women try a multitude of methods to manage pain, including:
- 40% Physiotherapy (movement and exercise)
- 35% Herbal therapies
- 28% Massage
- 25% Hypnosis and Counseling (were lumped together)
- 18% Chiropractic or osteopathy
- 13% Acupuncture
Most women use a combination of methods, according to the study. None, however, noted exercise!
No exercise can increase muscle strength better than resistance training. Some examples are bench presses, deadlifts, and pull-ups. For older individuals, squats, lunges and planks are often safer and less strenuous.
Resistance training builds strength in the ligaments and tendons, helps keep weight healthy and improves pain management. A study on mice discovered that resistance training has protected them against the onset of chronic pain.
Low-Impact Exercises Can Help Manage Pain
Physical activities are a great way to improve overall well-being. It has a myriad of benefits for older people going through the challenges of aging — especially the decline in physical abilities and pain tolerance.
A summary review of 21 reviews with 381 included studies and 37,143 participants found that exercise for chronic pain caused no harm nor additional pain to its participants. Additionally, while the evidence across studies was “low quality and inconsistent,” exercise for those suffering from chronic pain “may improve pain severity as well as physical function and quality of life.”
The above low-impact training options can help build muscle and bone strength, boost the immune system, and enhance the quality of life. Remember to consult your doctor or physical therapist to ensure you’re doing exercises that are helpful for your unique condition.
