When you’re in a lot of pain, the last thing you want to hear from your pain management specialist is that you need to be more active. The truth is, most of the patients who come to see us do so because the pain they are experiencing is limiting their mobility and destroying their quality of life. This can lead to more complications, including serious mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. But moving – active therapy – is a part of the pain management process for a lot of people.
What Is Active Therapy?
Active therapy is physical activity that helps you utilize the joints and muscles of your body that would otherwise go unused, thereby increasing mobility. Passive therapy – massage, for example – can be used in conjunction with active therapy.
Some of the activities that we ask our patients to try include:
- Walking
- Stretching
- Strength training
- Yoga
- Supervised gym exercises
The idea behind using active therapy for pain management is not to aggravate an already painful joint or muscle but rather to improve mobility and ultimately minimize pain.
How Does Active Therapy Help with Pain Management?
Active therapy is customized for each patient. You will be given exercises designed to strengthen the muscles that support and stabilize you. These exercises can help minimize the pain you experience by reducing the strain on your injured or arthritic joint. During active therapy, you participate in your treatment, and in many cases, this therapy is essential for regaining function of the affected muscle or joint.
Additional Benefits of Active Therapy
As implied in its label, active therapy gets you moving. Beyond merely being good for managing the specific pain for which you’re being treated, this therapy is beneficial for you in general. Active therapy helps you manage blood pressure, weight, and heart health. The benefits of the therapy can help improve your quality of life and increase your mobility.
But It’s Too Painful to Be on My Feet for 30 Minutes
The great news about active therapy is that it can be valuable even if you only do 10 minutes of exercise at a time. Whether you are strength training, walking, or stretching, you can do short bursts of activity and still achieve significant benefit from the therapy. When active therapy is used in conjunction with other treatments, we can often help you resume a level of mobility that lets you resume your lifestyle – without the pain.
Don’t Settle for a Life of Pain
If you’re struggling with pain and it is impacting your mobility or quality of life, we urge you to get in touch. At Spine LLC, our focus is on giving our patients the ability to reclaim their lives through better pain management, more innovative healing therapies, and increased mobility. We specialize in treating pain conditions with a spectrum of proven therapy options ranging from conventional procedures to the latest technology- and science-based approaches. Talk to your primary care physician today for a referral to our specialized pain management clinic and to arrange for a consultation. Let us determine which approach might be most effective for you.
Step away from chronic pain.
