If one has chronic pain issues, sometimes life requires compromise. Our bodies change as we age. Just like a car, when we are young, not much maintenance needs to be done. As we get older, the parts become worn and it takes more work to keep us running. We can no longer just add fuel and go, we have to do routine maintenance and do special work to keep the body moving. Going full speed ahead may not be the wisest move, and slowing down might be helpful.

3 Aspects of Health and Wellness

In order to keep going, one of the most important aspects of care is to exercise. There are three components to a good program; stretching, strengthening and aerobic conditioning. Like a three legged stool, all of these components are necessary to prevent one from collapsing. When one is young, doing only one aspect may be okay, but if you have chronic pain, without all three it may not work.

Stretching – Muscle tightness and “spasms” often cause pain, so stretching of these areas significantly reduces muscle tightness and pain. Stretching often needs to be done several times a day, once should be fairly extensive, but short 30-60 seconds of isolated stretches may be extremely helpful throughout the day.

Strengthening – Strengthening is essential to maintain the body’s power and ability to perform activity. To be able perform an activity, one needs to have the muscle strength. Performing strengthening of the muscles by using exercises that push the body against gravity, or using machines, weights or bands are simple ways. Simple exercise routines can be found easily in apps for your smart phone or by searching the internet especially for the neck and low back region.

Aerobic Conditioning – The last leg of the stool is aerobic conditioning. Aerobic exercise ranges from walking, to pool exercises, to workouts on treadmills, ellipticals, or bicycles. Conditioning should be for about 30 minutes and be 4-5 times a week.

If one has chronic pain, the intensity and speed that one went at life prior to injury often needs to be decreased. Going all out at any activity often will cause more problems. Despite doing the appropriate exercise, once injured the body is often not perfect thereafter. Expecting to be able to do everything the same as what one did 20 years ago is unrealistic. Spring cleanup or housework that was once done in a single day may now require splitting up the routine over several days and paced out. It may take just a bit longer, but the job will still get done. It often does not matter what route one takes, as long as one gets to the same endpoint.

Once a new car leaves the dealer, it is always deteriorating unless it is never used. Once we reach adulthood, the body is always slowly growing older. It will never be quite the same as it once was in the past. Maintenance is always needed. Pacing ourselves through life will give us longevity. Getting to the endpoint is what is important. Speeding will garnish a ticket; more pain and will not make the journey especially enjoyable.