The Exercise-Pain Cycle: Where to turn when pain hinders exercise and weight loss.
“If I could just exercise without pain, I could actually lose weight and feel better about myself.”
“If I could just get my weight down, exercise wouldn’t be so painful.”
Does this sound like you? If so, listen up! Physical therapists want to help you break this cycle we like to call The Exercise-Pain Cycle.
Extra body weight affects people of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic levels. In fact, In North Dakota, 63.6% of the adult population are classified as overweight, and about 31.9% are obese. It plays a large role in development of many chronic diseases and can even cause early death. Obesity can lead to joint pain by increasing stress placed through joints, muscles, and vertebral discs. It can cause loss of physical conditioning and limit general movement. Function can also be lost; this includes the ability to perform simple daily activities like walking, climbing stairs, or doing household chores. Most of all, it can reduce quality of life and make attempts to undergo a lifestyle change much more difficult. A physical therapist can help you overcome this frustrating barrier.
Physical therapists can help people who are obese to be more physically active and fit by teaching them to exercise in pain free and fun ways. The right exercise is very important because it helps burn calories, get rid of fat, preserve muscle tissue, and protect your joints. When you start a fun exercise routine, it also helps you make better choices about your diet.
Your physical therapist will work with you to design a specific treatment program to address your needs, including exercises you can do at home. Physical therapists are trained to create safe, effective physical activity programs for people of all ages and abilities. We are also able
to help address underlying barriers to developing healthy habits, setting goals, and consistency of daily exercise.
In summary, your physical therapist can help you reduce pain, lose weight, improve cardiovascular fitness, improve strength, movement, flexibility, and posture, and increase overall activity levels. It’s time to break The Exercise-Pain Cycle once and for all!
Shelby Carlson, PT, DPT
Shelby is a western North Dakota native who graduated from the University of North Dakota with a doctoral degree in physical therapy in 2017. In addition to her desire to help others regain function through motion, she is particularly interested in the treatment of wounds and lymphedema management. She plans to become a Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) to provide the best care for her patients. She holds a Kinetacore Level 1 Functional Dry Needling certification.
- https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/stateprograms/fundedstates/pdf/North-Dakota-State-Profile.pdf
- https://stateofobesity.org/states/nd/
- https://www.moveforwardpt.com/SymptomsConditionsDetail.aspx?cid=df77f3aa-573b-4d1e-893b-18c88e6cedce