In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day, the National Institute on Aging discusses how it is possible to exercise with pain under certain conditions.

In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day, a recent article from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) discusses how it is possible to exercise when suffering from pain as long as you talk to your doctor first and know your limits.

According to the NIA, pain is “your body’s way of warning you that something might be wrong. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should avoid exercise. In fact, depending on the type of pain you have, exercise could actually help.”

When it comes to chronic pain, the article states that avoiding exercise can actually make the pain worse. The NIA offers several tips on exercising safely to improve chronic pain:

• Talk to your doctor about what exercises/activities might be right for you. Each type of exercise has its own benefits, so a combination could be best.
• Strength exercises can help maintain or add to your muscle strength. Strong muscles support and protect joints. Weight-bearing exercises include using resistance bands or weighted wristbands.
• Endurance exercises make the heart and arteries healthier and may lessen swelling in some joints. Low-impact endurance exercises include swimming and bicycling.
• Flexibility exercises help to keep joints moving, relieve stiffness, and allow for more freedom of movement for everyday activities. Flexibility exercises include upper- and lower-body stretching, yoga, and tai chi.

Read the full article: Exercising with Pain

For other Wellness Wednesday content, visit:

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• Seniors and Sleep: Five Things You Might Not Know
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