We’ve all heard the importance of exercise for our health. However, when you have a chronic illness, the last thing you may consider is getting exercise. Chances are you have joint pain, fatigue, and inflammation, making moving the last thing you want to do.
Exercise Tips to Add to Your Daily Routine
The truth is, mild to moderate exercise is crucial to those of us with chronic conditions. It can help reduce inflammation and reduce our stress levels which helps keep our conditions under control and improve our mental wellness.
Be Mindful of Your Body
We are all too familiar with the roller coaster ride of living with chronic disease. You know how you are feeling fine one day, and the next, you can barely get out of bed. It’s important to keep this in mind when choosing the type of exercise. Being mindful of your body means including things that won’t worsen your condition or leave you in more pain. But, first, you must understand your body.
A great way to understand your body is to practice self-awareness. I like to take some time each day and journal about any physical limitations I find, from pain to stiffness. This type of information allows me to have greater awareness bout my body and decide whether it’s a day to walk, ride a bicycle or go swimming. On really low-energy days, I may find that all I can fit in is yoga, which is okay.
Include Proper Warmup
Stretching before you begin any warm-up can help avoid muscle aches and pains in other parts of your body. It’s also a gentle signal to your body that you will begin moving around. Giving your body this advance notice can help reduce stress, injuries, strain, and inflammation.
Even when it comes to walking or swimming, doing a few stretches and other warm-ups can help ensure the experience is more enjoyable.
Don’t Overextend Yourself
It’s easy to overdo it on days when you feel good or have more energy. However, doing so can increase stress and inflammation and cause your condition to deteriorate.
It’s important to find workout routines that make sense for your condition and lifestyle. You don’t have to go to the gym and lift heavy weights or do high-intensity exercises to gain the benefits of working out. In other words, find a routine that makes sense for your disease and what you enjoy.
Instead, focus on activities you can do regularly without them feeling like a chore. Remember, you can always change the routine if and when you want to!
Try Complementary Therapies
Complementary therapies include things like acupuncture and massage therapy. Studies show that massage therapy is effective in alleviating pain and reducing stress and strain in the body. For example, in one recent study, researchers compared massage therapy to other relaxation strategies for pain perception in people with fibromyalgia. They found that the participants who were given massage therapy felt less pain than those who did not receive it. In turn, the participants who received the massage therapy also found they could carry out the daily exercises as they weren’t in as much pain or as exhausted.
Incorporate Low Impact Exercise
Low impact exercises get you moving and improve flexibility and help reduce pressure on joints and muscles while maintaining strength. Walking, swimming, cycling, Pilates, and yoga are examples of low impact exercises which you can do without special equipment or belonging to a gym and gain the benefits of being out in nature or doing them with friends.
It is critical to listen to what your body is telling you and to stop any exercise if you experience new symptoms or an increase in your current systems. These tips are designed to help you reap the benefit of exercise while ensuring you aren’t increasing the negative symptoms of your condition. Before picking up a new routine, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor.
Take the Next Step
If you need help getting started with moving or finding the right exercise for you and your condition, let’s connect and get you back to living life beyond chronic illness. Supportegy Wellness provides chronic illness support through various proven ways, including chronic illness support groups.