What sort of movements are you talking about? - Persistent & Complex Pain Part 7
So Craig, what sort of movements are you talking about?:
Anything that is enjoyable, stimulating and progressive can have a positive effect on the way in which we feel. Remember the spine is not completely straight like a tent pole; otherwise we wouldn’t be able to do any of the weird and wonderful things that the human body is capable of. We need to loosen up! More importantly, we just need to move!
From where we left off in part 6, too much of a good thing is too much; however something is better than nothing! Start small and build big. Even if it is walking for 5-10 minutes a few times per day, this can have a very effective impact on our tolerance and recovery. It doesn’t have to be super heavy or intense. It doesn’t have to be super complex either!
We want to incorporate movements that challenge us, but don’t set us over the edge. We want to search through movements that we haven’t explored very much before, in just the right doses. We want to work through a range of different directions such as forwards, backwards, sideways, up, down and all around!
So long as we don’t overdo it too quickly, our body becomes attuned to the movements we are exposed to, and slowly but surely we can start to see more fluidity in our stride, more control in picking objects up, greater mobility when getting up off the floor, agility when dodging people looking at their phones in the street and strength to pick up our kids!
A combination of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise, alongside comfortable and gradually progressing mobility activities is the gold standard! Have fun exploring these different activities with a smile on your face. At the end of the day, we want to practice movements rather than train muscles.
If I had to pick three general things to start with for someone with persistent back pain, they would include:
- Something that is easy for you – this should be something that is relaxing, comforting and not stressful
- Something that has an element of a challenge for you– this should be something that requires thought and concentration, potentially a new skill that is stimulating, but is easily able to be modified or adjusted
- Something that is enjoyable for you – this should be something that is exciting and brings enjoyment to the person without being too strenuous for them
This could simply be incorporating some short-duration daily walks, trying to learn a new skill like balancing on one leg while throwing and catching a ball, and doing some stretches or meditative positions that you’ve found enjoyable in the past.
All we are aiming to do is lay down the foundations of activity that are comfortable for us now, and scaling that up as we feel more able. This is where the journey begins, what will you be starting on?
