How Exercise Helps Manage Chronic Pain: Tips for Getting Started

Exercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing when you have chronic pain. Still, several studies show it to be a great way to increase your tolerance to pain a bit. How does this form of pain management work?

Take it easy!

For starters, exercise (and we’re not talking about an Olympic training, but about something like participating in Nederland Beweegt, FysioFit at the physiotherapist or another form of exercise that is not aimed at breaking you) is your heart rate. upwards. That higher heart rate stimulates the production of the feel-good hormone serotonin. Exercise also changes something in the brain in terms of pain perception.

Endorfinen

Regular exercise also allows your body to produce endorphins. These are the most important substances that you can produce yourself to make the pain more bearable. They have the same effect on the body as morphine, which is why many people feel good after exercising.

Immune system

Your immune system also seems to play a role: during exercise it produces substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect. They also ensure that you experience less pain and are more resistant to it. And finally, exercise and sports help to build stronger muscles, which can relieve the place where it hurts.

How do you handle it?

• Doing something is always better than doing nothing, even if you start with just five minutes.
• Exercise as long as you can take it: it is better to move a little more every day than a lot once a week.
• Choose exercise that doesn’t make the pain worse. For example, if you have problems with your knees, cycling is better than running; the latter puts a lot of strain on the joints and you don’t want that right now.
• To strengthen certain muscles in a responsible way, it is a good idea to train a few times with a physiotherapist, who can give advice and specific exercises.
• Try to schedule your exercise early in the day. Pain eats energy, in the evening you are soon too tired for it or you are simply in too much pain to do anything.
• Stay close to yourself, don’t compare yourself to fit girls and be realistic: for someone in a lot of pain, climbing stairs can already be the equivalent of a boot camp. But everything that does work with movement can therefore help you to turn the knobs yourself with regard to your pain experience. And that was taken.

Want to receive the latest news in your mailbox every week? The best of Nouveau.nl, Máxima and culture for fun women with style. subscribe