Why staying active with pain can be the secret to freeing you from it.

The most common thing we hear when we have pain is that we should “just rest” until it’s gone. While this might make sense logically, it actually can cause more harm than good. Staying active while experiencing pain is the key to overcoming it. Here’s why:

Your Health

We all know that exercise is good for our health, generally speaking. But, diving into the intricacies makes it even more obvious that we need to prioritize it. Exercise has been proven to lower your risk of: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers (bladder, breast, colon, kidney, lung, stomach, esophagus, endometrial), arthritis, fractures, falls, depression, dementia and osteoporosis. It strengthens bones, muscles, joints, and improves body composition for weight management. It allows you to be independent for longer and recover quicker from hospitalization. It helps you manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. It helps to improve energy levels, mood, relaxation, and sleep quality. 

If exercise was a pill, we can assume almost everyone would take it. After reading all that, it makes it clear that we can’t let pain get in the way of better health, right?

Your Happiness

It’s not usually the pain that makes us frustrated, but what that pain is keeping us from doing freely without restriction. Your sport/ activity/ routine is a part of who you are- it’s important to you. Taking you away from it without necessity has a negative effect on our mental wellness. This is enough of a reason to prioritize it, but additionally, a healthy mental state is important to overcome pain as well.

The Research

Still not convinced we should stay active? According to The Lancet*, “advice to remain active” is recommended to be used as a first line of treatment for both acute and chronic low back pain. Out of all treatment methods, the only others that get this label are: education, exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Yes, that is out of ALL treatment methods- including manual therapies, pharmacological therapies, and surgical interventions. Even treatment methods such as spinal adjusting, massage, acupuncture, and yoga did not receive the “first-line” label and are considered “second-line” or “adjunctive treatment options”. Remaining active has the research to back it, but often doesn’t get the focus it deserves in the clinical world.

The How To:

*Caveat: This part can feel overwhelming and tedious, but it doesn’t need to. If you get stuck along the way, it’s not YOU that’s the problem- it's the PLAN you’re following doesn’t fit you. Rehab professionals exist for a reason- we’re here to organize the jigsaw puzzle that is overcoming pain. Reaching out and asking for help from a provider that is well versed in exercise therapy sooner rather than later is important. Here’s how we get started:

1.Track Everything

Keep a record of every activity/ exercise you do and how your body responds to it. Focus on objective data like: what you did, how much you did, how intense the session was, how much rest you had prior to and afterwards, and how your pain felt during and after. Objective data and feedback is vital in creating a personalized plan to move forward. It also helps us to make sense of pain or a lack of pain when it might seem “random” to us. Without records, we’re just guessing what to do next.

2.Identify the palliative (movements/activities that feel good).

Categorizing your movement will give you insight into what you should do both more and less of. We need to identify what feels good and is helpful at reducing pain, stiffness, or irritation. Once we find these movements/ activities, we utilize these as ways to maintain activity, increase capacity, and build muscle and resilience throughout the body. Focusing on these movements and carefully manipulating variables like volume, intensity, and frequency allows us to make progress in our fitness and health without flaring up pain. Better health, fitness, and resilience helps to lead us to less pain and flare ups.

Can’t find anything that feels good right now? Even just walking is an effective way to stay active while dealing with pain. As clinicians, we have multiple ways to get creative with identifying safe movement if you’re stuck here.

3.Identify the provocative (irritating movements/ activities).

Categorizing the movements that cause pain, irritation, and stiffness is just as important. We need to know what is in this category so we can temporarily avoid it when pain is high, but even more importantly: plan out the path to overcoming it. When we are ready, a careful exposure to the movements in this category is how we find freedom from our pain. We often need to break up these movements into separate pieces. This step is a combination of ensuring that you are safe, that your body feels safe, and the dose is appropriate for you and your injury. You can think of painful movements as a current hypersensitivity. Our goal is to desensitize the body with a safe and methodical exposure to them. 

*It’s important to note that exposure of these movements needs to be careful and strategic. We don’t want a spike in pain or a large reduction in your ability to function normally. If that is your experience, reach out to a rehab professional for a proper assessment.

Continuing movement won’t just help you maintain your life and what you love, but it’ll also help you to diminish your pain over time. Slowly (if needed), but surely, you gain back the movements that once felt impossible. The path towards movement freedom isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it. 

At Lotus Spine and Strength, we do this work on a daily basis. We work to help you get back to doing what you love efficiently, without the unnecessary setbacks. If you’re working through an injury right now and want to put it in the past, we’re here to help. 

Schedule a complimentary consultation here with one of our doctors to discuss your symptoms, what you’ve already tried, and how we can overcome it together. 

Sources:

*The Lancet: Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. 2018.