Exercising Your Way To A Higher Pain Tolerance

April 25, 2024 / Thomas Cohn, MD

As we say time and time again on the blog, our bodies are designed to move. They crave movement. Movement helps to keep our muscles strong and functioning successfully, which is why movement and exercise are so often recommended for patients with chronic pain. However, new research suggests that regular movement could also help to improve a person’s pain tolerance.

For the study, researchers from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN), and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health decided to see if there was a relationship between physical activity and pain tolerance. After reviewing data from more than 10,000 adults, they found that individuals who were physically active had a higher pain tolerance than those who were sedentary. Perhaps more interestingly, the higher the activity level, the higher the pain tolerance.

Can Exercise Prevent Pain?

Armed with this knowledge, researchers wanted to take it a step further and see if there was a connection between physical activity and the eventual onset of a chronic pain condition. They found that being active certainly appeared to help ward off chronic pain conditions.

“We found that people who were more active in their free time had a lower chance of having various types of chronic pain 7-8 years later,” said doctoral fellow Anders Årnes at UiT and UNN, who worked on the study. “For example, being just a little more active, such as going from light to moderate activity, was associated with a 5% lower risk of reporting some form of chronic pain later.”

Moreover, researchers found that higher activity was associated with a 16 percent reduced risk of developing a chronic pain condition in more than one location in the body. The believe that the ability to tolerate pain did in fact play a role in this apparent protective effective.

“This suggests that physical activity increases our ability to tolerate pain and may be one of the ways in which activity helps to reduce the risk of severe chronic pain,” said Årnes.

He added that although exercise may have a protective effect when it comes to chronic pain, it could also play a role in treatment as it helps people become less sensitive to pain signals.

“Physical activity is not dangerous in the first place, but people with chronic pain can benefit greatly from having an exercise program adapted to help them balance their effort so that it is not too much or too little. Health care professionals experienced in treating chronic pain conditions can often help with this.”

If you need help developing an exercise program tailored to your strengths and deficits, let us be your guide. Dr. Cohn has helped people of all activity levels find ways to move more and fight back against their chronic pain condition, and we can do the same for you. For more information, or for help with a different pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his office today at (952) 738-4580.

Tips For Starting An Exercise Program When Everything Hurts

December 28, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Exercising and chronic pain can be like oil and water. It can be hard to start exercising if you have chronic pain, but there’s a good chance that your chronic pain condition will improve by pursuing an exercise program. But how can you overcome a chronic pain condition and begin a beneficial exercise regimen? In today’s blog, we share some tips for starting an exercise program when your body hurts as a result of a chronic pain condition.

Starting An Exercise Program In Spite Of Chronic Pain

Starting and sticking to an exercise routine that will see you become a healthier version of yourself is never easy, and that’s especially true if you have a chronic pain condition. That said, there are some ways to make it a little easier to exercise despite your chronic pain condition. Here’s how:

Get Creative – When people think of traditional exercise, they oftentimes think of a running program. Running is a great way to build your muscles and challenge your body, but it certainly isn’t the only way to exercise. Get creative when it comes to exercise and pursue an activity that you find enjoyable (or at least bearable). Consider doing some yoga, riding your bike around the city or swimming laps at the local pool.

Develop A Routine – We know that developing a standard routine isn’t always easy when you have to adapt to the challenges of chronic pain, but begin to carve out some regular time for exercise. Perhaps that means waking up a half hour earlier on Mondays and Thursdays, or stopping at the gym on your way home from work a couple days a week. Your body and your brain will slowly start to get used to this routine, which will make it easier to regularly pursue exercise.

Pay Attention To Your Recovery Period – Even if you don’t have a chronic pain condition, odds are you’ll have some soreness and discomfort after exercising. It’s important that you help your body recover after exercise so that this discomfort doesn’t linger. Eat a healthy diet, get up and move, do some light stretching and stay hydrated to make it easier for your body to recover from the rigors of exercise.

Set Attainable Exercise Goals – We’re more likely to keep coming back for more exercise if we set realistic and attainable goals. Don’t plan to exercise 4-5 times a week if you are starting a new program. Slowly begin a new exercise program and gradually push yourself to take on bigger challenges. If you bite off more than you can chew or your goals are too lofty, you can end up sabotaging your own exercise routine. Set challenging but realistic goals.

Work With A Pain Management Specialist – Finally, know that you don’t have to develop and pursue an exercise program while dealing with chronic pain on your own. Dr. Cohn and his team can help you develop an exercise routine tailored to your strengths and current limitations so that it’s easier for you to reach your goals. Chronic pain can be isolating, but you have resources that you can lean on when your pain condition makes daily activities like exercise difficult. Let us help you make is easier to pursue regular exercise in spite of your pain condition.

Exercise has countless benefits for your body, and oftentimes it can really help to lessen symptoms of a chronic pain condition. It won’t be easy to start an exercise program when everything hurts, but we know it will be worth it. For more information, or for help with a different chronic pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today at (952) 738-4580.

How To Maintain An Active Lifestyle Despite Chronic Pain

June 2, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Chronic pain can make living an active life a little harder, but it’s certainly not impossible to stay active despite your chronic pain condition. In today’s blog, we share some tips for how you can work to maintain an active lifestyle even though you are managing a chronic pain condition.

Staying Active Despite Chronic Pain

It is important to remember that chronic pain is highly individualized, so it’s unlikely that all of these tips will work for every single patient hoping to stay active in spite of their chronic pain condition. That said, we’re confident that at least a couple of these tips can help you find it a little easier to stay active in the face of your pain condition. Here’s what we recommend.

1. Capitalize On The Good Days – Your pain and your mood can ebb and flow each day based on your symptoms, and you should never be ashamed to cancel plans or skip a workout if you’re dealing with a significant flareup. Conversely, you also want to pounce on an opportunity. If you’re having a good day, make the most of it. You don’t need to scale Mt. Everest or run a marathon simply because you are having a good day, but you should strive to be more active, because activity begets more activity. It may be easier to stack more good active days in a row if you take advantage of the time when your body can handle physical activity.

2. Know Your Limits – At the same time, it’s important to learn about your physical limits and to not overdo it during physical activity. If you’re taking on a new activity like hiking or cycling, don’t do too much at the beginning. Start slow and gradually build up your pace and your distance. Taking on too much physical activity can overstress your body and lead to injuries or worsening pain symptoms.

3. Utilize Ice And Heat – When you’ve returned home after your adventure, be sure to take care of your body with ice and heat. Ice packs can help to control swelling that may be more common in patients with certain chronic pain conditions, and hot packs or a warm bath can help to open up blood vessels and improve healthy blood flow throughout your body. See which methods help your body recover following periods of physical activity.

4. Strive For Healthy Sleep – Again, we know that it is easier said than done to tell a patient with a chronic pain condition that they could benefit from getting more quality sleep, but it really should become a point of emphasis if you want to pursue an active lifestyle. Restorative sleep ensures that we wake up ready to attack the day, and healthy sleep has been shown to help control pain sensitivity levels. Poor sleep can make us more sensitive to pain signals, which can only make it harder to get out and be active. Try to go to bed at the same time at night in a dark, distraction-free room, and you may find that you have more energy each morning.

5. Consistency Is Key – Finally, consistency is crucial when trying to maintain an active lifestyle with chronic pain. If you can gradually increase your activity levels and strive to always hit these goals each week, even in the face of chronic pain, it will be easier to always hit your activity targets and take on more physical tasks. It will take time and it won’t be easy, but forcing yourself to remain consistent in the short-term will make it easier to stay active in the long run.

If you focus on the above tips and connect with a pain specialist like Dr. Cohn for your individual pain care needs, we know that you can get back to living an active and independent lifestyle. For more information, or for help with your pain issue, give his office a call today at (952) 738-4580.

Tips For Exercising If You Have Chronic Pain

November 11, 2021 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Exercise isn’t always something we look forward to, and that sentiment is especially true if you are dealing with a chronic pain condition. That being said, exercise is typically one of the best things you can do to control and alleviate symptoms associated with your chronic pain condition, so it’s imperative that you make time for exercise on a regular basis. We know this isn’t easy to do if you’re bothered by a chronic pain condition, which is why we wanted to put some tips together to make it less of a battle. Below, we share some tips for getting regular exercise if you have a chronic pain condition.

Exercising With Chronic Pain

There are a number of tips on this list that can make it a little easier to get regular exercise if you have chronic pain, but we understand that they may sometimes come off as something that is easier said than done. With that in mind, we’re also going to share some tips for making these tips easier to follow! Here’s how you can strive to get regular exercise in the face of chronic pain.

Carve Out Time – One of the obstacles that everyone faces when trying to exercise is when to fit it into their daily schedule. Time doesn’t typically just magically appear, you have to make time for exercise. Recognize when symptoms are typically at their mildest and make it a point to dedicate some of that time to exercise. If that means waking up a little earlier or doing your exercise before you sit down for dinner, evaluate your schedule, figure out what time works best for you, and stick to that schedule.

Work It Into Your Daily Routine – If carving out 45 minutes to exercise regularly is proving difficult, look for other ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Take the stairs at work, bike to the office, take your dog for a second walk or schedule a weekly walk with a friend or family member. Activity is great for the body, even if it’s not in the form of concentrated exercise.

Find Exercises You Enjoy – Find an exercise routine you enjoy, or at minimum, find one you don’t dread. If running isn’t your thing, find another way to exercise. Swimming or cycling are two lower-impact forms of exercise that can provide you with numerous aerobic benefits. Everyone is different, so strive to find an exercise routine that speaks to you.

Low Impact Non-Traditional Exercises – Similarly, you can pursue non-traditional exercises as a way of staying active, especially if you’re dealing with joint pain that could be affected by higher-impact workouts. Activities like yoga or Tai Chi work on improving flexibility and cardiovascular health, which is very important if you’re dealing with a chronic pain condition.

Partner Up – Finally, exercise can seem less taxing if you do it alongside a friend or family member. Ask a friend if they would be interested in doing hot yoga with you on a weekly basis, or walk with a co-worker during your lunch break. Having a buddy to hold you accountable and carry a conversation during exercise can help you follow through and make it seem like less of a chore.

For more tips on exercising if you have chronic pain, or for help with your pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

5 Tips For Exercising With Chronic Pain

October 13, 2017 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Exercise can help prevent and manage chronic pain, but chronic pain can also make it difficult to exercise on a regular basis. However, if you keep some tips in mind, you may find it easier to get through your exercise routine even if you are plagued by chronic pain.

Today, we share five tips that can make exercise easier even if you are battling a chronic pain condition.

Chronic Pain and Exercise

Here are five tips for making your exercise routine a little more bearable when you’re dealing with chronic pain.

1. Avoid The Wrong Activities – Try to get your exercise in by being mindful of where pain exists and which activities overstress these areas. You want to strengthen certain areas while avoiding overstressing painful areas. For example, if you have chronic low back pain, exercise activities like cycling or canoeing may put excess stress on your lumbar spine. Don’t partake in activities that will make the problem worse.

2. Find Your Pace – Yoga classes or group exercise routines can help make exercising more fun, but not if you’re struggling to keep up. Go at your own pace and do not worry what other people are doing. If you’re dead set on working out with a group or another person, find someone who closely matches your ability and who will be willing to scale things back or stop altogether if pain makes exercise too difficult.

3. Aqua Therapy – We’ve pushed the benefits of aqua therapy in the past, and we think it’s a great option for chronic pain sufferers because the water’s natural buoyancy helps to take stress and pressure off our joints. Also, the water provides natural resistance, which makes it easier to strengthen different structures that you might not be able to as easily on land.

4. Balanced Routine – While we want you to find what works for you, it’s also important that you find some balance in your workout routine. You need to focus on your cardiovascular health, aerobic conditioning and strength training in order to best keep chronic pain at bay.

5. Accept That Not Every Day Is Going To Be Great – This happens with everybody, so don’t get discouraged if you just don’t seem to “have it” on any given day. As long as you are up and trying to improve your physical health, that day is a win. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s not always going to go smoothly, but if you’re making a conscious effort to exercise 4-5 times a week, your body will thank you for it.

For more tips on how to exercise with chronic pain, or to talk to a doctor about your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn today.