1. Get Moving
Regular exercise is important to manage chronic joint pain. Many people living with chronic pain think that exercise is the last thing they should do in order to avoid more pain, but the less you move the more deconditioned your body becomes. This in turn puts more stress and pressure on your joints, which can actually lead to more pain. The key is to find the type and level of activity that will make your body stronger without aggravating your symptoms. It may take some trial and error, but if you stick with it, you will find a program that makes you feel better.
If exercise classes such as aerobics or strength training are too much to start with, just try walking. Remember, though, that activities like water exercise classes can really help as they allow you to move but yet take pressure off the joints.
Whatever medical condition you are dealing with, look online at professional organizations. Many of them, such as the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Arthritis Foundation, will offer exercise classes that are geared to people living with specific medical conditions.
Your exercise program should ideally consist of all three major components: aerobic or cardiovascular exercise to strengthen your heart and lungs; strength training, because the stronger your muscles get, the less stress there will be on the joints; and a good stretching routine. You can strength train using machines, free weights, bands or your own body weight, while regular gentle stretching can help to loosen tight and sore muscles and help your body relax.
2. Try Eastern Movement Therapies
Eastern movement therapies are very beneficial in managing chronic pain. They teach you to move the body and at the same time learn to know your limits and release muscular tension. If regular exercise is too challenging to start with, try taking a yoga or tai chi class, which can help you to build the strength and endurance needed to participate in regular exercise classes. Since there are hundreds of different forms of yoga and tai chi, it is important to try many different styles and teachers to find the right class for you. Classes can range from extremely gentle to extremely challenging depending on the style you take and the teachers approach.
3. Meditate and Relax
In order to fully cope with your pain, you need to be able to find times when you can relax your body and get a break. There are lots of different types of meditation techniques, so try several approaches to see what works for you. Find at least 15 minutes each day to really relax your body and mind.
Living with chronic pain means making changes to your life. There may be financial concerns, changes to work or living arrangements and the need to rely on friends or family members to help you do things you always did for yourself. This can lead to high levels of stress. Constantly feeling stressed has adverse effects on the body, as it can decrease the ability of your immune and digestive systems. It can also lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Meditation techniques can help to reverse the effects of stress by relaxing your muscles. Your immune and digestive systems work better and your heart rate and blood pressure are lower during meditation. Taking time to mediate will help restore your body and mind.
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