Lifestyle and pain, with lifestyle expert Caroline Sandry

If you’re suffering chronic pain, it’s understandable that you might avoid physical activity. When we’re in pain, we tend to close in on ourselves and reduce our movement for fear of further pain or worsening our condition. However, the right type of exercise or activity can vastly improve your symptoms and your confidence.
The best type of physical activity is one that does not exacerbate your pain and one that you enjoy, and exercise doesn’t always have to mean sweating it out at the gym. You could try dancing, stretching, walking or aqua aerobics. As long as you’re moving your body, increasing your heart rate and enjoying yourself, you will feel the benefit. If you suffer from a form of arthritis, joint pain, a sports injury or back pain, then gentle mobility exercises are essential to prevent further stiffness and deterioration and can help you to regain mobility. If possible, you should combine these exercises with aerobic exercise for your heart and lungs and some strength work for posture, alignment and muscle strength.

If you are new to exercise, build up the amount of activity you do gradually and if you do experience an increase in pain after two hours from your exercise, then ease up a little the next time. Aim to gradually increase your activity to 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, and remember your 30 minutes can be broken down into two or three 10 – 15 minute chunks if that’s easier for you. You should always warm up before exercising to prepare your body and lubricate your joints. Try some gentle moves such as marching on the spot, circling the arms, bending and extending before you begin and make sure you’re warm enough. Try to wear a couple of layers so that you can adjust your clothes as your temperature changes.

Stay positive. Exercise has many benefits for the body and mind, so if you don’t see immediate changes, be patient and stay focused. And remember before beginning any type of exercise program, it’s important to speak to your healthcare provider to make sure the program you choose is safe. If there are reasons that prevent you from doing certain types of exercise, your doctor can discuss possible alternatives that will suit you better.