subject: Staying Active During The Holidays Can Relieve Your Chronic Pain [print this page] Staying Active During The Holidays Can Relieve Your Chronic Pain
The holidays are a hectic time of the year, and if you're living with chronic pain the holidays can be uncomfortable as well. When our schedules get overbooked, our plans get stuffed, and our sleep habits go out the window, getting to the gym and remaining active is the last things on our minds. But staying active during the holidays is one of the best things that you can do for your chronic pain symptoms.
Exercise can often help reduce pain and improve your quality of life. Just remember to pace yourself and consult a physician for advice. Here are 10 types of exercise that can help get you moving:
Walking
This is a low-impact activity that's a good choice if you have the physical capability. The benefit is that you can exercise almost anywhere: The mall, the local school track, or a parking lot. When you're out doing that holiday shopping, park a little farther away, walk a little faster, and take advantage of this opportunity to be active.
Swimming
Swimming is great for people who have osteoarthritis, who have musculoskeletal issues or any joint disease where any kind of impact may aggravate the underlying problem. The reason: Swimming (and other forms of water exercise) defies gravity, so there aren't any unpleasant and potentially damaging jolts to the joints.
Yoga
The breathing component of yoga might be just as helpful to ease chronic pain as the movement and stretching. Remember to be cautious when doing certain poses. Consulting a physician before beginning any yoga class is recommended. Yoga can involve very extreme ranges of motion involving the spine and other joints so there is a risk of injury. Do whatever is a comfortable range of motion within your abilities.
Don't push it unless you're in very good condition. Even someone who is bedridden could simply start with certain breathing exercises and focusing on different body parts, integrating this into either active or passive movements (such as contracting a muscle).
During the holidays, Yoga is a wonderful way to bring yourself back down to Earth and recharge your batteries. Take some time-out for yourself and enroll in some Yoga classes this holiday season.
Tai chi
There's almost no one too old as long as you can move a little bit. It incorporates the body and the mind. Tai chi reduces pain, stiffness and fatigue. Tai chi also helps with building strength, endurance, and balance.
Aerobic Activity
In general, aerobic activities (which can include using the treadmill or riding on a stationary bike) are particularly good for anyone, including those experiencing pain. Strength-only training helped with pain, but that aerobic activity helped alleviate symptoms as well as improved physical function. And besides helping your heart, the aerobics activates your endogenous opioid mechanismsto reduce pain.
Light-weight and Strength Training-Weight training is particularly helpful for people suffering from arthritis. The exercises strengthen the joints around the injury and that takes some of the stress off the joint when you're using it. Weights that are from an ounce to 5 to 10 pounds will help.
However, it's important to pace yourself when doing these exercises. Start with a can of soup, if you've been inactive for a long time, or try doing sit-ups or push-ups around the hours.
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