Sport&Spine Physical Therapy

In physical therapy, the treatment of chronic pain is a close partnership between the therapist and the patient. This partnership involves not only improving your functional strength and mobility, but also taking a deeper dive into lifestyle choices that can be resulting in inflammation. Research has shown that inflammation, even at low levels, can result in chronic pain. Addressing your concerns involves taking a holistic approach to address the many areas of your health that could be contributing to pain.

 “MEDS” is an acronym used to describe some of these lifestyle changes that you can add to your daily routine: 

Meditation: Meditation has been shown to be very effective at reducing some of the markers of stress in the body and improving optimism. Though it can be difficult for many people to “turn off their brains” to meditate, a quick 5-10 minutes of playing calming music and focusing on breathing is a good place to start. Think about taking long breaths in and long breaths out or picture your breath filling your body with positive energy. Guided meditation apps or videos on YouTube are other good places to find support.

Exercise: Rhythmic, aerobic exercise is a great way to improve blood flow throughout the body, improve mood with the release of endorphins, and get muscles and joints moving in ways that feel good. Walking (especially out in nature!), biking, and swimming are great options, but the elliptical, NuStep, arm bike, and dance classes are fun options as well. 

Diet: There is a lot of information available on diet and it can be hard to sort through all the advice, which also seems to constantly change. A good place to start is by asking “what can I add to my diet?” before focusing on restrictions and what you need to “take away”. The current recommendation from MyPlate.gov is 2 cups per day of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables. Adding extra servings of fruits and vegetables each day will provide more nutrients and fiber that can help you feel full longer. If you feel like you’re already doing well with that area, start thinking about decreasing consumption of refined sugars, low nutrient snacks, and alcohol. Even doing this for a few days to weeks can help decrease inflammation that worsens chronic pain, especially if pain is related to osteoarthritis. 

Sleep: Sleep is one of the most important factors with any type of rehab and recovery, but it can also be one of the hardest things to change. Good sleep hygiene to help get you to sleep faster includes staying off your phone for an hour or two before bed, keeping your nighttime bedroom temperature low (65℉ ), avoiding caffeine consumption later in the day, and keeping a consistent bedtime and wake up time when possible. Practicing meditation before bed or listening to a guided sleep meditation may also help you fall asleep faster or fall back asleep if you wake up. 

Chronic pain is complex but it can improve. If you are dealing with chronic pain, try adding some of these lifestyle changes and reach out to a physical therapist for more guidance.