Moving When It Hurts

Over the past 13 years and 25,000 Physical Therapy sessions, I have treated many patients who are afraid to move through pain. Let's consider the patient with chronic pain who has had pain for more than five years related to a work injury or a car accident. There is no question that they are experiencing pain, and in some cases they have severe pain. But some individuals get into the habit of fearing pain and therefore fearing any movement that causes pain. These people sometimes stop moving altogether. 

Have you met people who are sedentary all day? They can't work because they are disabled or retired or any other reason, and they literally can't, won't or don't do anything. They sit down or lie down all day. They only leave the house for doctor visits. They don't go out for leisure or social time or hobbies or anything at all. 

I encouraged a patient today to just start walking, even if it is for a few minutes at a time. Of course, she voiced concern that it makes her back hurt. So I explained that a walking program is not going to make her back worse overall. She will not gain more damage to her spine by walking, but she will cause more damage by the overall lack of movement of her spine. 

To clarify, this is not referring to patients with a brand new back injury or current flare-up. Most of you know someone who has "thrown his/her back out." In that situation, there may be a few days or weeks in which he/she can barely walk and cannot stand up straight. I would not tell that patient to start a walking program today. 

However, if someone you know has chronic pain but has stopped moving for many months or years, he/she likely needs physical activity. If you are not sure where to start or what movements are safe, come see your local Physical Therapist!

Walking more for EXERCISE

My husband and I just returned from a great trip to Charleston, SC! We were celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary! While we were down there, we did a ton of walking. If you have ever been to Charleston, you know what I mean.

It is a very beautiful and historic town with lots to see, so we walked everywhere.
We walked around the battery, the market, did some Christmas shopping, King Street, Waterfront Park, art galleries, etc.  We even went to a tuba concert!

All this is to say that walking is such great EXERCISE!!! It is an exercise that you can do anywhere! You can walk in your neighborhood or the mall or at a park. If you get bored in your neighborhood, you can walk in the next one over. Some parks have hiking trails, which can add a challenge for your body, especially if they have hills. Trails are nice because they are softer than walking on sidewalks. Finlay Park (downtown Columbia, SC) even has stairs, which can further increase your workout.

One last thought: Before you go walking, be sure to wear the right shoes! I definitely did not walk around Charleston in high heels!

Starting an EXERCISE program

Whether you enjoy it or not, EXERCISE is vital for your health and well-being! It strengthens your heart and lungs, increases circulation, boosts your metabolism, strengthens muscles and improves your endurance, among many other benefits. So there is no question that you should exercise... But do you?

There are two ways to look at exercise-related pain. One is the health problems you will encounter if you do not exercise, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, etc. Exercise can be as easy as walking your dog or using a treadmill. Find an exercise that is convenient and enjoyable for you; otherwise you will probably not stick with it. If finances are the constraint, just start a walking program.

The other form of exercise-related pain is injury during/after the workout. If you are going to start a new form of exercise, prepare yourself with proper footwear. Then start with a little at a time. Do not jump to running 5 miles (or even 2 miles) the first day. Be sure to warm up for 5 minutes by walking or doing some light cardio exercise. If you need to stretch before your main  exercise, do so after your warmup. Stretching after your workout can be very helpful, even if you do so for 3-5 minutes. If you only have time to exercise for 30 minutes, your first few minutes and last few minutes should be done a little slower than the bulk of your routine.

When was the last time you exercised???  I will mail a FREE PRIZE for the best and worst responses (within the USA)! Reply in comments section below! This contest lasts for 24 hours!