How to Get Moving When Faced With Chronic Pain

Our bodies are built to move … Unfortunately, sometimes pain gets in the way. If you are someone who suffers from chronic pain, you have not been sentenced to a sedentary lifestyle, although it may feel that way.  There are many approaches, interventions and treatments that can help. 

For example: 

Pain education – learning about how pain impacts not only your body , but your brain mood and motivation is key. 

Start and then continue movement – Oftentimes avoiding movement entirely due to pain only leads to stiffens and possibly loss of muscle.

Manage stress, depression and anxiety – A recent study in the Journal of Pain showed that depression as well as how one thinks about pain prior to a knee replacement was actually related to long-term pain following the procedure. 

Set up an assessment with a physical or occupational therapist  -  The therapist can look at body posture, range of motion, muscle imbalance to determine what could be causing the pain. 

Be assured there is a way for you to still enjoy a non-sedentary lifestyle even when faced with chronic pain! Consider reaching out to a physical therapist to help build a safe plan to get you moving in a healthy way. If you do not know where to start Unified Therapies would love to help!