by Mari Hodges, MScMed (Pain Mgmt), TPS, M.AmSAT, AAPTA
Therapeutic Pain Specialist & Certified Alexander Technique Teacher
We know that movement and physical activity are good for us, and for almost anyone experiencing persistent pain, movement is positive. But if moving hurts, it’s hard to get very motivated to move. When movement is accompanied by pain, why would you want to?
Moving mindfully can help us to live more easily with persistent pain and bring back more control over life when it’s been taken away by pain. Mindful movement means being present in your body and your surrounding space in the moment as you move. Mindful movement is a dialog with your body. It means not shying away from movement and not doing too much.
So how do you do it if you have persistent pain?
First, I believe it’s helpful to think about why you would, because our beliefs play an important role in how we feel and what we do about how we feel. A key thing to know is that pain and injury (or tissue damage) are not the same thing. Pain in its normal role keeps us from doing too much, but in many chronic pain conditions, that function goes awry. Persistent pain typically involves hypersensitivity of the nervous system such that things that won’t damage us hurt. Knowing that pain doesn’t necessarily mean damage can help us to re-engage with physical activity.
The next thing to know is that movement can actually help reduce pain, while continually reducing movement will likely make it worse over time. Physical activity improves our health and positively influences our metabolism as well as sleep, mood, beliefs and quality of life. These things all make us more resilient to chronic pain.
It doesn’t mean that we should plough through pain, come what may, though – that’s where mindful movement comes in.
For me, to move mindfully means paying attention not only to pain, but also to non-pain related sensations, thoughts and relationships. For example, we might pay attention to breath, qualities like smoothness or ease, the way that we use our eyes, or the wholeness of our body. We might think of moving through water or noticing ease. We might explore spaces and contact with the ground, air or other. We might also consciously choose to release muscle tension, lower our center of gravity or nonjudgementally observe ourselves.
Including these kinds of things in our awareness as we move may help us in ways beyond what “mindless” physical activity can. It is likely that moving mindfully improves our mental maps of the body, the clarity of which is also linked to chronic pain. It can help us to have greater choice in how we direct our attention and how we move, expanding our mental and physical options. A mindful movement practice may help us discover that we can have more choice!
Another benefit is that we may actually become aware of ability to move without pain. Our brains tend to focus on experiences that confirm our expectations of pain. When we are fully present in our movement, we’re more able to notice when we are actually moving with ease.That increases our expectations of ease and safety, as well as future experiences of ease and safety.
There are many kinds of mindful movement practices – Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, forest bathing, tai chi, yoga, and some kinds of dance, among others. Each has its perspective on moving mindfully and can help with increasing awareness, reducing fear and easing into movement safely. Mindful movement practices tend to take things slowly, giving us time to find safety within and to reflect.
Other physical activities like walking, swimming – even housecleaning! – can be done mindfully to help us move more easily through life. And while it can be tempting to listen to music or a podcast or watch a video for distraction while doing physical activity, we benefit from being present to what we are doing.
Chronic pain can keep you from doing things that would actually help with becoming healthier, more resilient and more comfortable in your body. If movement is challenging, a guided mindful movement practice can be helpful to get you feeling safer and more comfortable with movement.Developing a personal mindful movement practice can help us to reflect on how to move more easily through life.
