Easy Exercises That Can Help With Pain

Exercise is a necessity to upkeep our physical fitness as well as mental wellbeing. Working out ensures that our body functions at its optimum level. However, as we age, our bone density naturally decreases and we may experience more joint pains or difficulties doing hard impact exercises. 

People may also experience pain as a result of poor posture during exercise, an accident, or other bad habits. Exercise doesn’t have to be difficult. Some people only dread exercising due to the pain that accompanies their workouts. However, it’s important to note that your workouts don’t have to consist of pain and struggle. 

Specific regions of the body may experience pain if practicing poor exercise habits and an improper workout plan. When it comes to reducing pain, it is important to practice the correct technique and perform the proper posture. Inflammation is one common cause of pain people feel in their joints and muscles. Doing strenuous exercises can exacerbate pain if you aren’t careful. Our bodies are constantly interacting with the elements, taking us to and fro wherever we need to be. Additionally, if you work a job that demands a lot from you physically, you will likely notice the labor taking a toll on your body. 

The easy exercises shared here are so simple that you can exercise at home. These exercises offer physical therapy and pain relief. Common areas that most people complain of having pain are the lower back, knees, and shoulders. The following exercises will help you to relieve your pain and improve your overall well-being. 

Stretching 

Stretching is so important to maintain our range of motion as we age. It’s also an important thing everyone should integrate into their home workout. Many physical therapists recommend stretching to maintain their physical therapy. 

Some benefits of stretching include flexibility, posture, release tension, injury prevention, and more. Also, stretching can alleviate all areas of our bodies depending on the type of stretches you do. Stretching is good for muscle tightness as well. 

The following is a stretch commonly used to relieve tension and pain within the hamstrings:

Standing Hamstring Stretch 

1. Stand up straight and cross your left foot in front of your right foot. 
2. Slowly lower your forehead to your left knee by bending at the waist. 
3. Make sure to you keep both of your knees straight. 
4. Keep this position for 15 to 30 seconds. 
5. Relax, taking deep breaths. 
6. Repeat this stretch on the other side by crossing your right foot in front of your left.
7. Uncross your legs and slowly stand up straight. 

Yoga 

Yoga incorporates much stretching and breathing techniques to enhance deep relaxation within the body. There are many types of yoga you may like to try. Some common forms of yoga include Ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Restorative yoga, Power yoga, and more. 

The deep breathing is quite complementary to deepen your stretching. Yoga poses or yoga exercises for a painful back include but are not limited to cat-cow, downward-facing dog, cobra pose, locust pose, bridge pose, extended triangle, and sphinx pose. The following is a step-by-step guide to properly perform Child’s pose or Balasana.

Child’s Pose (Balasana) 

Relieve lower back pain, shoulder tightness, and shoulder blade tension with the Balasana pose. 

1. Kneel on the floor with your toes together. Place your knees hip-width apart. 
2. Rest your palms on the top of your thighs. 
3. As you exhale, lower your torso between your knees, toward the floor. 
4. Extend your arms forward alongside your torso with your palms facing down on the ground. 
5. Relax your shoulders towards the ground. 
6. Rest in this position while taking slow and deep breaths. 

Chair Exercises 

Some great exercises for a sprained ankle are chair exercises. If you get winded easily or dizzy while exercising, sitting in a chair could help. Any leg pains can benefit from chair exercises as chair exercise minimizes pressure and impact on the joints. It can also serve as physical therapy for knee pain. The following is a simple cardio exercise anyone can do while sitting comfortably at home. 

Seated Front Shoulder Raises 

Seated front shoulder raises work the pectoral muscles and the deltoids primarily, making it a good exercise for painful shoulders. This rehab shoulder exercise will also improve your range of motion. Directions to perform this exercise are as follows. 

1. Sit in a chair, preferably one with back support. Your arms will be hanging down at your side, holding dumbbells in each hand. (Feel free to use however much weight is comfortable to you.) 
2. Keep your elbow slightly flexed, exhale as you raise your arms forward and upward in a semicircular motion until your dumbells raise a little bit above horizontal. 
3. As you lower the dumbbells slowly to the starting position, you want to take a deep breath in. 
4. Repeat this exercise in however many repetitions you’d like. 

Swimming 

Gravity is less present within the water. Thus, swimming alleviates the pain that would usually be placed on the joints. If your body is recovering, water aerobics will significantly decrease the pressure. Water aerobics exercises include squat steps, butt-kicks, water run, k-tred, butterfly beats, and aqua kicks. The following are step by step instructions on how to perform jumping jacks in the pool. Yes, it’s as easy as it sounds! 

1. Stand in a swimming pool where the water is about chest level. 
2. Place your feet together with your arms down by your side. 
3. Bring your legs apart and your arms over your head as you make a jumping motion. 
4. Jump again, returning your feet back together and your arms back down by your side. This counts as one jumping jack.

Dancing

 While dancing can be considered a form of exercise, many people just see it as fun! Find your favorite playlist to listen to and dance like no one’s watching. There aren’t any rules with dancing except to enjoy yourself! With dancing, we often forget any pain we may be experiencing. When we listen to music that makes us feel good and dance, our brains release dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a major role in how we feel pleasure. Dance freely, enroll in Zumba classes or find free dance workouts online. 

Pain is a sensation we all face at some point to varying degrees. To manage as well as reduce pain, these are just a few easy exercises anyone can do at home. Feel free to make any modifications necessary when performing each exercise. Also, feel free to use some of these exercises in your workout plan.