Exercises to Help Alleviate Chronic Pain
Try These Simple Movements and Activities to Reduce Chronic Pain
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis, are suffering chronic pain due to an injury, or are still figuring out the source of your pain, you’re likely eager to find ways to alleviate your pain. About 100 million adults in the United States experience chronic pain. While each person is different and varying causes of chronic pain call for varying treatments, one way to address chronic pain is through exercise. Exercising releases endorphins, which act as a natural pain reliever. For those experiencing chronic pain, these are a few of the best activities to help reduce it.
Strength Training
Building muscle allows your body to better support your bones and joints. For example, strengthening your core can help relieve pressure in your back, which may decrease chronic pain you are experiencing in your back. Strength training also allows you to build on your mobility capabilities and increase your range of motion. The best part? Strength training comes in different varieties, so there is something for everyone. Try using elastic bands for a low–impact exercise, experiment with body weight, or take your strength training to the water for aquatic exercise.
Stretching
Stretching can help relieve pain in the back, neck, and hips. Experimenting with yoga workouts and other stretches may help you feel more relaxed and can help you maintain your mobility and range of motion over time. This can be practiced in conjunction with meditation, deep breathing, and visualization work. Building a practice of meditation and deep breathing can help you work through pain and relieve the stress that often accompanies living with chronic pain.
Walking
There’s no need for fancy equipment or a gym membership to get great exercise. For many people experiencing chronic pain, walking is an ideal form of exercise because it helps to build strength and endurance over time while also increasing circulation. This increase in circulation may help relieve stiffness and pain throughout the body, and your heart health will also benefit!
Aquatic Exercise
Aquatic exercise is an excellent option for those who need to take particular care to avoid putting too much pressure on any joints. Exercising in the water allows cardiovascular endurance to build without straining joints such as your hips and knees.
Ease Pain the Natural Way
In some cases, losing weight can help reduce the strain on essential joints and therefore contribute to alleviating chronic pain. Each of the exercise types listed above can help promote weight loss. Talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise plan.
Exercise is only one of many strategies that may help relieve chronic pain. While medication and surgery are common treatments for chronic pain, many people do not wish to undergo surgery and experience long recovery times. Taking medication on a long–term basis can also spark health concerns. Fortunately, other treatments are available.
Chronic Care of Richmond is a leader in natural medicine, specializing in alternative pain relief. The FDA–approved protocols utilized by Chronic Care of Richmond work with the body’s natural healing processes to ease chronic pain. Request a consultation today!