How to Keep Exercising Despite Chronic Pain

By Dr. Victor Romano

Pain is a great excuse if you don’t like to exercise, and it’s certainly something many people with chronic pain would just as soon avoid.

Yet at the same time exercise is one of the things that can help make that pain go away. Research has shown that exercise is an essential aspect in the treatment of chronic pain.

But it can become a Catch-22 situation. We don’t want to exercise because we have pain, and yet exercise will usually help you reduce the pain over the long run.

Lack of exercise can cause a downward cycle of deconditioning and worsening pain.  But exercise can help those with chronic pain engage in enjoyable and essential activities of daily living with greater ease. Cardio exercise, interval training, and weight lifting are the three types of exercise most people should include once a week in their workouts. Stretching should be included in every workout.

Doctors generally ask patients to rate their pain on a scale of one to 10. The average intensity of pain experienced for 12 or more hours over a 24-hour period is considered their baseline pain. Romano says if, during exercise, pain levels increase by more than 2 points from the baseline you should stop and modify that exercise to ensure you do not cause a flare up of your pain. Of course, a good diet is also important.

Furthermore, obstructed breathing, from a deviated septum, allergies or a cold, will impair your balance and strength. Restoring clear nasal breathing will improve your performance.

For people who suffer from chronic pain, I offer these exercise tips:

• TRY SHORTER EXERCISE PERIODS. Interval training is very helpful in patients with chronic pain. Short bursts of exercise can be more beneficial and less stressful than one long workout.  Even five minutes is better than nothing.  Everything counts.
• WEIGHT TRAIN. YES, WEIGHT TRAIN. Weight training is important for women and older adults to strengthen their bones. And research has proven that weight training is good for everyone, regardless of sex or age. Make sure to incorporate it into your exercise program.
• STRETCHING IS IMPORTANT. VERY IMPORTANT. Go to Facebook, download our Romano Stretches, and incorporate them into your daily routine, even if you don’t exercise that day.
• TRY YOGA OR TAI CHI. These programs have shown success with people with chronic pain.
• CLEAR YOUR SINUSES.  If your breathing is obstructed, use nasal sprays or get nasal strips that will open your breathing and further improve your strength and balance.
• MIND OVER MATTER. If you need to do an exercise that you know is going to be painful, start by taking some deep breaths and focus your energy.  Take your time.

“Even though exercise for somebody with chronic pain sounds counterintuitive,” Romano says, “it is very important as part of recovery therapy.”

Dr. Victor Romano is an orthopedic surgeon and the author of Finding The Source: Maximizing Your Results – With and Without Orthopedic Surgery. He is board-certified in orthopedics and sports medicine with over 25 years of experience in the field. He graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame and completed medical school at the University of Loyola-Chicago.