exercise - Musculoskeletal Health Australia (MHA)

12/Sep/2019

The weather’s changing. You can smell the blossoms, the freesias and other spring flowers bursting into life. The days are getting longer. The sun’s shining and the temperature’s rising.

Hooray! I’m over winter. The time for hibernating is over. I just want to lose the winter woollies, say goodbye to soup and get out and about.

So I’ve made a list of all the things I want to do now that the weather is getting better. I’m going spring into spring! Here’s a few that may get you inspired:

Get outdoors. We’re so lucky in Australia to have beautiful and accessible parks and gardens. Whether you’re into a gentle stroll, a brisk hike, a walk through history, or all of the above, there’s something there for you. A good place to start is the parks service website in your state or territory, your local council website, and the National Trust website.
Try a new sport/exercise. If your exercise program has become boring, or you’re in a bit of an exercise rut, spring is the perfect time to blow off the cobwebs and try something new. Try trampolining, have a Frisbee tournament, learn to dance the samba/tango/tap/swing, borrow a bike and go for a ride, join a sporting team, go bird watching. The sky’s the limit. Just think about the types of things you enjoy doing, or sound fun to you, and incorporate them into your exercise program.
Take part in a fun run/walk. This is the time of the year when fun runs and walks seem to happen every weekend. Find one that appeals to you – the location, the distance, the charity it supports – and sign yourself up. Even better sign up the family and friends as well!
Volunteer your time and skills. Whether it’s something you do regularly or as a once off, volunteer work can be extremely rewarding for yourself and your community. Think about the types of things you’re passionate about, your skills, the amount of time you can give, and look around your local community to find the best match. Or visit the GoVolunteer website to search the database for volunteering opportunities.
Grab your camera or phone and start snapping. It’s amazing the quality photos we can take on our phones. Post your pics on social media, and be inspired by others. Spring is the perfect time to get some gorgeous photos. And it’s amazing how differently you start seeing everyday things when you start imagining them through a camera lens. Things that once faded into the background become stunning architectural shapes, or vibrant vistas. Before you know it you’ll be experimenting with angles, perspective and light. If you need help, there’s plenty of tips and tricks online about taking photos with your phone. Or investigate photography courses in your local area. You’ll learn new skills and meet new people.
Dig in the dirt. Many people find gardening a relaxing past-time, and it can distract us from our pain and our problems. So with our gardens coming alive, why not get out and get your hands dirty. Plant some bright flowers in pots or garden beds around the entrance to your house. Prune trees and shrubs and remove any dead winter growth. Add some mulch to the gardens beds. Then grab a cold drink, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labours. Oh – and if you sometimes find your condition affects your ability to garden, check out this blog post.

More to explore

National Trust
GoVolunteer
10 tips on how to take better photos with your smartphone – Digital Camera World

Photo by Maria Shanina on Unsplash.

Lisa Bywaters

01/Feb/2019

We all get tired. We overdo things and feel physically exhausted. It happens to us all.

But something that most of us living with a chronic, painful condition experience, and that can be hard for others to really understand, is fatigue.

Fatigue’s that almost overwhelming physical and mental tiredness. It may be caused by lack of sleep, your medications, depression, your actual condition (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) or just the very fact of living with persistent pain.

Fatigue can make everyday activities seem too hard, and can get in the way of you doing the things you enjoy. The good news is there’re many things you can do to manage fatigue.

They include:

Exercise and being active – while this may sound like the last thing you should do when you’re feeling fatigued, exercise can boost your energy levels, help you sleep better, improve your mood, and it can help you manage your pain. If you’re starting an exercise program, start slowly, listen to your body and seek advice from qualified professionals.
Frankie says relax – listening to music, reading a book, taking a warm bubble bath, meditating, deep breathing, visualisation, gardening, going for a walk…they’re just some of the ways you can relax. By using relaxation techniques, you can reduce stress and anxiety (which can make you feel fatigued), and feel more energised.
Eating a well-balanced diet – this gives your body the energy and nutrients it needs to work properly, helps you maintain a healthy weight, protects you against other health conditions and is vital for a healthy immune system. Make sure you drink enough water, and try and limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume.
Pace yourself. It’s an easy trap to fall into. On the days you feel great you do as much as possible – you push on and on and overdo it. Other days you avoid doing things because fatigue has sapped away all of your energy. By pacing yourself you can do the things you want to do by finding the right balance between rest and activity. Some tips for pacing yourself: plan your day, prioritise your activities (not everything is super important or has to be done immediately), break your jobs into smaller tasks, alternate physical jobs with less active ones, and ask for help if you need it.
Get a good night’s sleep – it makes such a difference when you live with pain and fatigue. It can sometimes be difficult to achieve, but there are many things you can do to sleep well, that will decrease your fatigue and make you feel human again.
Talk with your doctor about your meds – sometimes fatigue can be caused by medications you’re taking to manage another health condition. If you think your medications are causing your fatigue, talk with your doctor about alternatives that may be available.

So that’s fatigue…it can be difficult to live with, but there are ways you can learn to manage it. Tell us how you manage. Share your tips for managing fatigue.

Lisa Bywaters

27/May/2018

A book by people like you

Chronic pain is a common and complex problem that affects 1 in 5 Australians.

It’s exhausting, a bit tricky and hard to know where to start.

Fortunately, with our book Managing your pain: An A-Z guide you can start anywhere!

Medications, sleep, laughter, fatigue, breathing. Think of it as a ‘choose your own adventure’ to getting on top of your pain.

The book emphasises practical strategies tried and tested by people like you – consumers living with musculoskeletal conditions. There are also a bunch of quotes and useful insights to keep it real.

You might also like…

We also have a helpful kids pain book called The worst pain in the world. It’s beautifully illustrated and loaded with practical advice for children living with pain (not just those with arthritis). It also gives kids who don’t live with pain an understanding of what their friends or family are going through.

Lisa Bywaters

26/May/2018

And that’s just what they’ll do

Walking is a great way to exercise. It costs nothing, it’s suitable for most people, and it gets you out and about.

I love walking. I take a quick walk around the block during the day if I can manage it, but I always make sure I get out after I get home from work. I find it’s a fantastic way to relax after a long day at work.

For me the important thing is to get changed and put my walking shoes on as soon as I get home. If I sit down, or get distracted by others, the opportunity disappears.

I grab my MP3 player, put on a podcast or music, and head out. The fresh air, the exercise, and listening to something interesting is a great mood booster.

On the weekend I like to explore new areas, so I hop in the car, pick up a friend, and we walk in a park, the bush, in the CBD, at the beach. This keeps my walks interesting, and I also have the benefit of discovering new places.

If you don’t exercise much, walking might be a good way for you to build up your activity levels – though be sure to talk with your doctor first to get the all-clear. Then start slow.

Try walking 30 minutes a day on most days of the week and you’ll really notice the health benefits. It can help you lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight, it can lift your mood, help you get a good night’s sleep, improve your bone and joint health and increase heart and lung fitness.

If you can’t walk 30 minutes at a time, break the walking up over your day. Three 10 minute walks, six 5 minute walks…it all adds up.

Walking tips

Wear comfortable, appropriate clothing and shoes.
Warm up and cool down to prevent injuries or pain.
Make it social – walk with a friend, your family, kids, the dog.
Listen to music, audio books, podcasts.
Make it a part of your regular routine – go at the same time each day – e.g. after/before work, after lunch.
Explore new places to walk.
Take a water bottle – it can be thirsty work!
Track your walking with a pedometer or fitness activity tracker.
Increase the distance of your walks and intensity of your walks over time.
Take your walk inside if it’s raining or a hot day – walk in a shopping centre, around the office, around your house.
Join a walking or bushwalking group.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your walking shoes and get out there!

Lisa Bywaters

25/Sep/2017

There’s nothing like this time of the year. It’s getting lighter and brighter. The weather is warming up and you can almost smell spring in the air! You just want to get out and about.

If your exercise routine has been hibernating over winter, spring is the perfect time to brush it off, get back into the swing of things, and get moving. It’s also a great time to add something new to your exercise regime.

Take a hike – walking is a great exercise that’s suitable for most people. You can adapt it to your specific needs and interests – e.g. a walk through your neighbourhood, Nordic walking (using special poles and technique that work your upper body), or walking in the bush and enjoying the smells and sights around you. If you find it difficult to find time to exercise, try breaking your walks up into smaller increments. If you can start with a 10 minute walk a few times during the day, it all adds up, and before you know it you’ve done 30 minutes of walking by the end of your day! Make sure you wear comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes for walking.

Makes some waves in the water – water exercise is a gentle, soothing form of exercise. The water supports your body and the resistance provided by moving through water boosts muscle strength and endurance. The types of water exercise you can choose include: hydrotherapy (offered by physios as one-on-one sessions for individuals or in small groups), gentle water exercise classes at your local fitness or recreation centres or swimming laps at your local pool.

Try tai chi – it’s a low-impact, slow-motion exercise, with gentle movements. When doing tai chi, your muscles are relaxed rather than tensed, and your joints are not fully extended or bent. You can learn tai chi from books and DVDs, however most people find it easier to learn from a qualified instructor. Books and DVDs are useful to help you practise between classes.

Hit the dance floor – dancing is a fun, social form of exercise. It’s also a great way to meet new people. There are so many different styles of dancing you can try, from Latin to hip hop to ballroom to belly dancing to just shaking it all about your lounge room when a great song comes on the radio! Make sure you’re wearing shoes that are appropriate for the style of dancing you’re doing, start slowly, learn good technique and have a wonderful time!

Get on your bike – and get your blood pumping. Riding a bike can give you a good cardio workout, which’ll help improve the health of your heart and lungs (cardiovascular system). Cycling can also help improve your stamina, manage your weight and reduce your risk of developing other health problems (e.g. diabetes).

Practise Pilates – the slow, controlled movements of Pilates can help you improve your flexibility and strength. Ensure you see a qualified instructor who can teach you how to perform each exercise correctly and safely.

The important thing when you’re looking to start exercising or reinvigorate an exercise program is to find something you enjoy doing. You’re more likely to continue doing it, and reap all the health and social benefits that come from regular exercise. Exercise with your friends, join a team and just get out and move. And don’t forget to keep your doctor informed about what you’re doing.

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