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Best Cardio Exercises
The best cardio exercises are something you enjoy so you'll stick to it to get the maximum benefits. You may be surprised at how quickly this form of physical activity becomes a habit you enjoy. Exercise and cardiovascular fitness exercises...

Choose The Right Exercise Treadmill To Get The Results You Want
One of the most popular pieces of workout equipment available is the exercise treadmill, and with good reason. These work-horses can be used by people of virtually every fitness level depending upon whether the user walks, jogs, runs or designs a...

Exercise Smarter Not Harder - 10 ways to make consistent progress all the time in your exercise plan!
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional bodybuilder personal, trainer to movie stars, and former employee of Kathy Smith. For twenty years I have been able to keep my body fat levels lower than most, and consistently exercise five...

Exercise Through Tai Chi For The Elderly
Exercise through Tai Chi for the Elderly Tai Chi has traditionally been thought of as an exercise for the elderly and although this is not entirely true because Tai Chi is suitable for all age groups. Tai Chi is certainly beneficial for...

Relationship Exercises for Couples
On a piece of paper, in a notebook or in your journal answer the following series of questions. Do this to learn about yourself and your relationship, but you can also suggest that your partner do the same. You can do this on a yearly basis, say...

 
Natural Pain Management: Exercise & Chronic Pain

When you find yourself living with pain every minute of every hour of every day, just getting up in the morning can seem like too much to ask. When you find it hard to remember the last time you weren’t in pain, it’s not unusual for fear and depression to take hold and drag you into a downward spiral that makes the pain even worse. Even on good days, exercising can still be the last thing you feel like doing.

There’s evidence, however, that exercise may be one of the best things you can do to help manage chronic pain. A recent (2000) study by Martin Hoffman found that moderate exercise reduced the amount of pain people suffering from chronic back-ache perceived they felt. Other anecdotal studies and reports have confirmed that sometimes, activity can work wonders.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXERCISE & PAIN RELIEF

Experts have suggested four possible reasons for the pain-reducing effect of activity. The first has to do with endorphins. These are chemicals your body produces naturally during exercise, which have the same kind of effect as opiates like morphine and codeine. Endorphins actually block the perception of pain, and create a general feeling of wellness, both of which are invaluable to someone with chronic pain.

A second reason is that regular activity helps to improve both the ease with which we fall asleep, and the quality of our rest once we do. Pain, can become more or less difficult to deal with depending on our resource levels. Most sufferers experience difficulty sleeping when the pain is bad, which can prompt another downward spiral. Something that helps us sleep better, means more energy and resources, which in turn, allows us to cope better with the pain we experience.

A third is that exercise helps release tension (see Exercise & Stress for an explanation of why). Tension, stress and frustration, as any sufferer of chronic pain will attest, increase pain levels. This means that anything that helps relax the body will also usually help reduce pain levels.

Finally, if the chronic pain occurs after an injury, targeted exercise can strengthen the muscles around the injury site, taking pressure off the injured tissue. Of course, the wrong kind of exercise can actually re-injure the area too, so it’s important to get professional guidance from a physiotherapist, or a personal trainer who specialises in rehabilitation work, rather than trying to go it alone.

USING EXERCISE TO HELP YOU MANAGE PAIN

An important disclaimer: this article is written assuming that, if you’re experiencing chronic pain, you’re already working with a healthcare professional to manage it (and if not, you need to be!) Check any suggestions you want to try with that professional, and follow their recommendations. Also, if an activity increases your pain levels, don’t do it. It’s OK to have muscles that are tired and slightly sore the day after. It’s not OK to


experience any joint pain or sharp, stabbing pain during or after exercise, or anything that makes your chronic pain worse. If you experience any of these, seek advice from your healthcare professional as soon as possible.

That said, the most beneficial kind of exercise depends very much on the individual. One of Optimum Life’s key principles is that activity will always do more good if it’s something you enjoy. This is even more important when you experience chronic pain, when something you start dreading or tensing up about can quickly make your condition worse. Additionally, it helps if you choose activities that give you a good range of aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercises. Good potential choices to start with include walking, swimming, stationary cycling, yoga or t’ai chi.

Finally, be aware that exercise will be most helpful for pain management if it’s one out of many tools you use. Medication, diet, visualisation, relaxation, acupuncture and biofeedback have all been shown to have positive effects on pain individually – but the best effects seem to come from taking a multi-disciplinary approach. Take time to research the different therapies available to you. There are a number of excellent pain management sites online – two of the more popular ones include The Chronic Pain Haven or The Mayo Clinic.

Chronic pain will never be fun to live with, but there are options available that make it more manageable. Give yourself the gift of being willing to try out different options until you find the combination that’s right for you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Meanwhile, until the next issue, may every day bring you closer to your Optimum Life.

If you have any questions about this week’s article, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Otherwise, until next time, may every day bring you closer to your Optimum Life.

Copyright 2005 Tanja Gardner

About The Author

Optimum Life's Tanja Gardner is a Personal Trainer and Stress Management Coach whose articles on holistic health and relaxation have appeared in various media since 1999. Optimum Life is dedicated to providing fitness and stress management services to help clients all over the world achieve their optimum lives.

To read more articles like this one, please subscribe to Optimum Fitness News at http://optimumlife.co.nz/Newsletter%20Signup.htm. To find out more about how you could benefit from online personal training, please visit http://www.trainerforce.com/optimumlife/. To find out more about holistic fitness and stress management please visit http://optimumlife.co.nz, or contact Tanja on tanja@optimumlife.co.nz.

 

Exercise at About.com
Offers fitness and exercise related links, articles, information, and discussions.
exercise.about.com
 
American Council On Exercise
Fitness Certification and Education: The American Council on Exercise (ACE), a non-profit organization, promotes active lifestyles by setting certification ...
www.acefitness.org
 
Physical exercise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Physical exercise is the performance of some activity in order to develop or ... Frequent and regular physical exercise is an important component in the ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Why Exercise Is Cool
Tells why exercise is important and explores the many benefits of physical activity.
www.kidshealth.org
 
Kids and Exercise
When most adults think about exercise, they imagine working out in the gym on a treadmill or lifting weights. But for children, exercise means playing and ...
www.kidshealth.org
 
Fitness Fundamentals
It is influenced by age, sex, heredity, personal habits, exercise and eating practices. ... How often, how long and how hard you exercise, and what kinds of ...
www.hoptechno.com
 
MedlinePlus: Exercise and Physical Fitness
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases The primary NIH organization for research on Exercise and Physical Fitness is the ...
www.nlm.nih.gov
 
MedlinePlus: Exercise for Seniors
Pictures/Diagrams; Slide Show: Balance Exercises Improve Stability, Help Prevent Falls (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) ...
www.nlm.nih.gov
 
Exercise: A Healthy Habit to Start and Keep -- familydoctor.org
Information about exercise from the American Academy of Family Physicians.
familydoctor.org
 
Welcome to ::-:: Exercise, Fitness and Leisure
Information on various aspects of exercise and fitness and providers of sporting, exercise and leisure equipment.
www.exercise.co.uk
 
ExRx (Exercise Prescription) on the Net
Fitness and exercise information including diet, nutrition, exercise, sports and weight training. Includes a muscle directory.
www.exrx.net
 
Weight Training, Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology
Weight training and kinesiology reference with many animated weight training exercises, stretches, plyometric movements, and illustrated muscles.
www.exrx.net
 
Exercise & Fitness
Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or any of dozens of other activities can help your heart. Whether it is a structured exercise ...
www.americanheart.org
 
Howstuffworks "How Exercise Works"
Exercise creates a set of responses in your body, whether you work out regularly or not. Find out how these responses can be enhanced by training.
www.howstuffworks.com
 
Exercise and Diabetes - American Diabetes Association
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Exercise works the same way. Taking that first step can be hard, especially if you've been ...
www.diabetes.org
 
NIHSeniorHealth: Exercise for Older Adults - Table of contents
See the Exercise Stories. Exercise for Older Adults Table of Contents. Benefits of Exercise · Safety First · Exercises to Try · Charting Progress ...
nihseniorhealth.gov
 
Exercise to Improve Your Body and Your Brain
My comprehensive exercise guide. ... The key to obtaining the benefits of exercise is to find a program and stick to it. Of course, it is useful to have a ...
www.mercola.com
 
FitnessOnline.com - Exercise Health Nutrition Advice Weight Loss
FitnessOnline.com - expert advice on exercise programs, diets, weight loss, muscle gain, vitamins, supplements & strength training.
www.fitnessonline.com
 
Table of Contents
Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging ... Chapter 2: Is It Safe for Me to Exercise? ... Chapter 4: Examples of Exercises to Do at Home ...
weboflife.nasa.gov
 
Exercise Physiology Page for the MAPP
Aging, Exercise and Short Term Power · Principles of Training- Revisited · The Time Course of Training Adaptations · Understanding Interval Training ...
home.hia.no
 
 

 

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  • 2 exercises to avoid

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  • index

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  • some yoga exercises to improve the general and sexual health

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  • the art of concentrating by means of practical psychic exercises part 1

  • the art of concentrating by means of practical psychic exercises part 2

  • the art of concentrating by means of practical psychic exercises part 3

  • the art of concentrating by means of practical psychic exercises part 4

  • the art of concentrating by means of practical psychic exercises part 5

  • the art of concentrating by means of practical psychic exercises part 6

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