Managing pain?

[Stacey]

Anyone else out there have aches and pains in their back, neck, joints, etc.? I have had issues for a good 4 years now. I am not sure why but most days I have pain somewhere be it my back, neck, shoulder, or knees. I am trying to get more active because I read that can help. How do you manage your pains and what helps relieve them so you can get back to living? 

[James]

Pain is no fun. It can be reduced with proper work.

Stretch. Stretch. Then stretch some more. I know by the end of the year I am going to work at minimum an hour and half of Yoga to my schedule before the end of the year and just stick to that as part of the routine. Right now I do more static stretching but would like to add a bit more variety. 

Message! I do not like the messages my wife goes and gets. I have problems with people I do not know touching my body... Something I should likely overcome at some point so I can enjoy the benefits of massage. I have been researching the Theragun by Therabody. It looks promising and I may pick one up to add to my routine. 

Physical Therapy. I have not visited one yet but my wife used to go for some shoulder pain. They worked through it until the point where she does not go anymore. I used to do 100+ pushups a day and started to get a really strange pain in my right shoulder. So figured my form was off and just fell out of the routine. My wife when I finally told her why I stopped doing pushups told me I should have just went to the physical therapist so we could work through the problem with them.  

[Emma]

Get in the habit of doing stretches before you go to bed and first thing in the morning. I know it doesn't sound like much but it will make a different. Like James mentioned as well, yoga can be helpful. You have to get your body used to the movements though so be patient. It might hurt at first. 

For me personally, I like to make use of heat and ice. Hot showers and massages work wonders too. A friend of mine uses acupuncture to manage her pain. Might be worth looking into!

[Ella]

I tend to just work through the pain if I can but if I need to relax and let my body mend, I will. I feel like if you rest or sit still too much though, you will end up with even more pain! As I am getting older, that is becoming more true and I notice it in my parents as well.