Dr. Brandon Claflin Shares Easy Exercises That Can Help Lessen Your Chronic Pain

When you are dealing with chronic pain, it is important to find exercises that can help get your body moving without requiring you to push it too much. Simple and easy exercises can have significant benefits, from assisting with lessening the pain you are into and allowing you to get your mind off the pain while trying to focus on something positive. The following exercises are great for individuals of any age who are interested in decreasing the level of chronic pain they experience daily.

Pilates

Although Pilates has recently increased in popularity, development occurred in the 1920s in New York City. This low-impact exercise is typically done in less than an hour and primarily targets your core, arms, buttocks, and legs. It can be fantastic for building strength, improving flexibility, and helping to ease pain at home or in a class. Individuals who have never done Pilates should start slowly with a beginner’s class where an instructor will teach proper forms and movements that are ideal for your body.

Swimming

Swimming can be an excellent option for chronic pain sufferers, especially those with back pain, as it takes the weight off every area of your body while providing relief. Consider doing laps in a local indoor swimming pool rather than in the ocean, where the waves might be rough, cause further injury, and where seasonal temperatures limit you.

Going for a nice relaxing swim can also have numerous other benefits. For instance, it can help ease stress and allow you to focus on the present moment. 

Walking

Walking has several benefits, including decreasing stiffness, improving circulation, and helping lower stroke risk. It is simple to change it up depending on your mood, such as going with family members or friends for a catch-up chat session, by yourself, or with your pet. 

Chronic pain sufferers can easily partake in walking as long as they do so carefully. While it can be challenging and not advisable in many cases to walk outside during certain weather conditions, you can also walk around your home or within a local business until the weather outside is better. 

Water Aerobics

Water aerobics is, as the name suggests, aerobics individuals do in water but does not involve swimming. As previously stated, swimming helps alleviate the pressure on your body, giving you an excellent low-impact exercise option for reducing chronic pain. Local pools typically offer classes, making exercising, reducing pain, and meeting new friends fun. 

Yoga

Yoga is thousands of years old and has a history of benefiting individuals with chronic pain, such as migraines and back pain. Like pilates, there are at-home options and in-person classes. Because yoga is so position-specific, it is ideal to start by taking in-person classes so the instructor can assist you with your form as necessary.

Note that there are several types of yoga, so it is essential to choose one or more options best suited to the kind of chronic pain you are experiencing. Your doctor may recommend a particular type of yoga, or you can contact a yoga instructor knowledgeable about the different types and ask for guidance. Before you jump into doing any yoga, do your research and present it to your doctor so you can decide if it is an ideal fit. 

Talking to Your Doctor

Although the previously mentioned exercises that help with chronic pain are easy to do, it is necessary to speak with your doctor first. They can guide you to a good starting point so you do not overdo it. The two of you can come up with a plan that includes how many days per week you should do each exercise and for how long, when it is an excellent time to increase the amount of exercise, and the warning signs you should look out for that indicate you are overdoing it. 

Choose easy exercises that help lessen chronic pain but that you also love doing, increasing the chances you will maintain the regimen and reap the benefits. Contact Dr. Brandon Claflin from Oklahoma Interventional Spine & Pain when you are ready to construct a plan that will help lessen your chronic pain and give you more of your freedom back.