Exercise has long been known to be a positive addition to a healthy lifestyle. It can help with weight loss, flexibility, balance, and strengthening and toning muscles. There is a type of exercise available for any need or fitness level. Exercise can help in almost any aspect of health. It’s even been shown to be able to help people manage their chronic pain.
Exercise And Pain Relief
People who suffer from chronic pain have been able to find relief by incorporating exercise into their lives regularly. It’s been shown to be especially effective in managing chronic lower back pain. Lower back pain is a common complaint due to things like working from home and sitting for long periods of time with bad posture.
There have been numerous studies and meta-analyses done worldwide by places such as the University Of New South Wales regarding the effects of exercise on pain levels. The consensus is that it is effective, but no one fully understands why quite yet.
Costs Of Chronic Pain
There is an incentive to find solutions to chronic pain. It is costly to both individuals and society. It costs productivity as well as any related healthcare expenses incurred in treating and managing the pain. When researching individuals who are suffering from chronic lower back pain, numerous treatment methods were studied, such as:
- Medications
- Manual therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral therapy
These treatments may provide relief, but exercise showed the most consistent results in patients.
Why Does Exercise Work?
Since exercise proved to be effective in pain management, researchers wondered why it worked as well as it was shown to in various studies. They proposed theories such as:
- Improved aerobic fitness
- Improved core stability
- Improved confidence
- Improved mood
These theories are a good starting point, but currently, there is no consensus on how or why exercise is so effective in pain management. For individuals with chronic pain, exercise is highly recommended. Activities such as walking, using an exercise bike, or swimming can vastly improve the quality of life and reduce pain levels if they are done consistently and safely.