Meaningful Movemement
Keeping active, stretching and exercising can help improve mobility, reduce pain, and boost our mood. Pete stretches and exercises every day to keep his pain / fatigue levels down and doesn't have to take pain medication.
A used, stretched, exercise muscle can feel less pain.
It’s common for people living persistent pain / fatigue that getting active (stretching and exercising) can increase their pain. When I attended the INPUT Pain Management Programme in 1996 I was also fearful of stretching and exercising, but the healthcare professionals explained it could increase; simply because underused muscles will increase the pain when they are stretched / exercised, but it will soon go and that’s exactly what happened for me and others on the programme.
Meaningful movement is a movement or activity you enjoy doing and by enjoying a movement you are more likely to keep it up.
Engaging in meaningful activities that you enjoy can also help distract you from pain and promote a sense of well-being. It is important to choose activities that are appropriate for your level of fitness and pain / fatigue levels, and to start gradually, building up over time.
Working with a healthcare professional or physiotherapist can help you develop a stretch / exercise programme that is safe and effective for you.
Meaningful movement programmes. Here are a few common ones:
Yoga
Tai Chi
Pilates
Please make sure that your teacher is qualified and experienced in teaching people with persistent pain. You should be encouraged to exercise at a pace that feels right for you.
www.paintoolkit.org
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