Chronic pain approximately affects 100 million people in the United States and is the most common cause of disability. For those with chronic pain, proper exercise is key for treatment and pain relief. Depending on how your current state of pain, exercise may help decrease inflammation and your chances of your pain getting worse. You may be able to avoid further medical treatments with the help of a Las Vegas physical therapist in guiding you with a combination of exercises to help you return to your best quality of life.
Exercise is a very common treatment for people looking to strengthen their body and prevent chronic pain. There are a number of exercises you may consider doing to help reduce your pain. Doing a combination of strength training, endurance and stretching can decrease your overall pain levels.
Cardio Exercises
Cardio exercises are said to have several mental and physical benefits for people with chronic pain. You may do cardio exercises without the use of equipment and even in the comfort of your own neighborhood, a nearby park, or your favorite outdoor spots. With the weather cooling down in Las Vegas, spending time outside to get your cardio exercise in for the day doesn’t seem so bad.
Walking
Many studies have shown that dedicating a minimum of 30 minutes of walking at 3 to 5 times a week can do plenty for your health. This can easily increase your endurance and strength without challenging you too much. If you suffer from severe chronic pain, starting with minimal walking can ease you into other exercises later on. You may consider taking walks with your pets as an excuse to get your exercise in for the day.
Swimming
A great alternative to walking is swimming. Being in the water is automatically much more enjoyable, especially if you live in Las Vegas where the heat can be rigorous. Swimming can help those who experience mobility issues. The water acts as a low-impact cardio exercise that does not directly add stress to your joints and muscles. You hardly feel any challenges while being in the water, it’s fun and it can often be therapeutic.
Incorporate weights in your exercise routine
Building strength is equally important in creating stability for your joints and muscles. We need our muscles and joints to be strong in order to prevent injuries or pain. If you have chronic pain, don’t be afraid to reach out to a physical therapy institute such as Advanced Manual Therapy in Las Vegas. When you’re experiencing chronic pain on a daily basis, we can offer guidance, state of the art equipment and specialized exercises to help ease you to a better quality of life.
Weight training is very effective for pain relief; however, you should never overdo it and always be careful. Many studies have shown that many suffering from arthritis, osteoporosis and lower back pain have seen significant results in improving pain, mobility and overall quality of life.
Together, we create a plan best suited for you and ease you into weight training to help strengthen the parts of your body experiencing chronic pain. This plan can include anything from resistance bands to low weight exercises, and medicine ball routines depending on the severity of your chronic pain.
Stretching & Relaxation
Stretch exercises should always be part of your daily routine. Many people have found that stretching upon waking up or before going to sleep actually helps reduce the pain and stress in their muscles and bodies. To avoid muscle soreness and stiffness, stretching plays a key role.
Stretching Tips for Chronic Pain
- After exercising, make sure you stretch your entire body not just the parts that you exercised
- Don’t force yourself into difficult positions, take your time when stretching and take deep breaths
- Try different techniques, don’t just stick to one. When your body gets used to specific stretching techniques, it will stop reducing your pain. Make sure to try different approaches!
- Be consistent. Make it a priority to stretch daily even for a short time. Consistent stretching routines can improve your overall mobility, reduce pain and stiffness, leaving you feeling better each day.
On top of your stretching routine, relaxation techniques help to calm our bodies into a state of comfortability. Relaxation exercises don’t require any equipment or too much movement. You may consider forms of meditation where you simply close your eyes, take deep breaths in through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth. By doing so, you are putting your body in a very comfortable and relaxed state. This release any tense or stressed feelings in your body as you are visualizing the pain leave your body.
It is important to consult a team our team of physical therapists in Las Vegas before starting an exercise program. Depending on your situation, some exercises may not be the best fit for you to do in the beginning. When you visit Advanced Manual Therapy, we thoroughly analyze your pain areas and create personalized exercise plans that will help you manage your pain.