Exercise Combats Montreal Chronic Pain and Related Distress
Do you experience chronic pain? You are not alone! Chronic pain can distress the mind and the body. Over 80% of retired NFL football players reported having pain daily. A recent questionnaire study of them found that the greater the pain acceptance, the lower the pain intensity they experienced. (1) Accepting pain is a challenge though! Fortunately, so many studies show that a little optimism and physical activity improves pain and optimism. For these and more reasons, Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic incorporates exercise into our chronic back pain patients’ Montreal chiropractic treatment plans!
EXERCISE: GOOD FOR BODY AND MIND
Exercise benefits extend beyond the physical body improvements. Exercise also enhances the mind and outlook of a person in pain, especially one who has chronic low back pain. At the conclusion of a 3-month study of chronic low back pain patients who either exercised or did not, researchers found that pain disability scores in the exercisers dropped significantly more. In both groups, reduced pain scores connected to higher self-efficacy scores (feelings of independence). Chronic low back pain exercisers’ increased disability reflected a beneficial effect on increased self-efficacy and pain relief. (2) Another study of 72 patients before treatment for their chronic pain and after 3 months of treatment found that improved self-efficacy was linked to decreased disability regardless of any reduction of pain intensity. They summarized that helping chronic pain patients tweak their sense of self-efficacy could be an effective addition to the treatment of chronic pain patients beyond just pain relief. (3)
OPTIMISM FOR A BETTER, LESS PAINFUL DAY
And an optimistic point of view toward pain can be a plus! Fear-avoidance is a common problem for patients with pain. They do not want to do anything to aggravate their condition and exacerbate pain which leads to less movement and less optimism for ever being without pain. Research denoted that patients with longer periods with pain who stated greater self-efficacy and patients with higher pain disability and depression had lower self-efficacy. (4) Understanding this, we support our Montreal pain patients to be physical and not avoid living life! ’Better’ is coming!
EXERCISE: Time to Move!
And we all know it: physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle are not beneficial for us. Researchers even write that they are associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain and can even heighten it! What is the answer? Physical exercise, of course. Researchers explained in a new study that exercise programs that combine a variety of forms of exercise – flexibility, balance, aerobic, strengthening – tend to be better. Such arrangements are also more adaptable to a particular patient’s issues. Light-to-moderate intensity exercise performed two to three times a week for a month were demonstrated to be of greatest benefit for chronic pain patients particularly for those with spine pain conditions like chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. (5) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic works with each Montreal chiropractic patient to design a strategy just for him/her.
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kelly Brinkman on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she details the effective gentle protocols of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in treating chronic back pain.
Schedule your Montreal chiropractic appointment today. Whether you are a retired NFL player or NFL fan or neither of these, bring your chronic pain and worried mind to Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic. Let’s work together to reduce pain and fear of pain and raise your sense of independence and joy of life with chiropractic and exercise!
