- Accept that you have persistent pain & move on
- Get Involved - Building a support team
- Pacing. Learn to pace yourself
- Learn to prioritise and plan out your days
- Setting Goals and Action Plans
- Being patient with yourself
- Learn relaxation skills & keep relaxed
- Keeping fit. Stretching & Exercise
- Keep a diary and track your progress
- Have a set-back plan to fall back on
- Team Work. Get involved with others
- Keeping it up. Put into practise tools, 1-11
Available in French, German
Italian & more
The Pain Toolkit is also available in French, German & Italian and many more languages. They can be downloaded by clicking here.
Tool Eight
Stretching and Exercise
Many people with pain fear exercise in case it causes more problems. However this is not true.
Regular stretching and exercising actually decreases pain and discomfort. It prepares the body for other activities. It can strengthen weak muscles and you will also feel better for it.
Remember to start slowly and build up or increase your stretching and exercising. Its not as hard as you think.
If you are in pain, remember that unfit and under used muscles feel more pain than toned ones. Talk with your physiotherapist or fitness coach about an individually tailored stretching and exercise programme that you could can work on steadily and safely.
This will help you build your confidence, muscle and joint strength. Remember that swimming (or just walking up and down in the pool) is also a low impact exercise and is good for you if you have join problems.
There are 15 good reasons why exercise is good for you below.
15 reasons why stretching and exercising (don't forget swimming) is good for you
- Helps to improve and maintain good overall health
- Increases strong cardiovascular system - heart, lungs and blood vessels
- Increases muscle strength
- Improves flexibility
- Increases endurance and stamina
- Increases natural pain killers (called endorphins) in the bodys nervous system which help control pain
- Helps with weight control
- Helps to improve quality of sleep
- Helps balance and co-ordination
- Reduces fatigue and increases energy
- Reduces muscular tension, stress and depression
- Helps combat depression and anxiety
- Helps maintain a positive outlook
- Helps to prevent constipation
- Can be sociable
Drinking Water
Water is essential for a healthy life so drinking plenty of water is important for everyone. Its even more important if you are taking part in physical exercise, so make sure you keep properly hydrated before, during and after exercising.
