17 Jul The Relationship Between Pain and Exercise for Veterans

This article was contributed and written by Accredited Exercise Physiologist at Mates4Mates, Aric Visentin. 

The relationship between chronic pain and exercise can be difficult to understand. Pain is a normal response of our brain, so how can a person recognise when their pain is presenting as a health concern?

Pain is a human survival mechanism, an output from our brain serving to protect us from injury or re-injury. Small amounts of pain or discomfort can be normal sometimes and doesn’t mean that the exercise is causing harm.

Chronic pain affects approximately 3.6 million Australians and is characterised as pain that persists longer than the expected healing time of the injury. Chronic or persisting pain occurs when the signal between the site of pain and your brain is delayed, disrupted, or abnormal due to misfiring nerves.

56% of those impacted by persisting pain find that they are restricted in what activities they can undertake because of their pain. It is important to not mistake persisting pain for an acute injury and understand that you can have an acute injury alongside persistent pain.

MYTHS SURROUNDING EXERCISE AND PAIN

Many people believe that their only options when faced with physical pain are to live with it or undergo corrective surgery. But there are other options and a great one that is sometimes overlooked is engaging in exercise.

Exercise professionals like an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) are great to see if you want to exercise but have persisting pain. AEPs prescribe exercise for persisting pain and can create a physical activity plan tailored to your condition and exercise abilities.

Surgery might fix the anatomical issue or concern, but persisting pain can still be present after surgery.

PERSISTING PAIN IN VETERANS 

Due to the nature of their service, veterans are commonly affected by complex pain conditions at a disproportionately higher rate than the general population. 1 in 2 veterans are affected by persisting pain, compared with 1 in 5 in the general population.

Military service is inclusive of multiple stressors such as traumatic experiences, deployment and training, and family separation, as well as exposure to uncommon cultures, behaviours and attitudes which are all contributing factors in persistent pain among veterans.

Reported rates of persistent pain in military and veteran populations are between 27-57%, with women more likely than men to have back, musculoskeletal and joint problems.

Physical health concerns that are very common among veterans and can contribute to pain include osteoarthritis, spondylosis, spondylitis, spondylolisthesis, nerve impingements, sciatica, persistent disc bulges, herniations, and muscular/tendon tears.

Military and veteran populations also experience persistent pain alongside a range of other cognitive and mental health challenges including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury.

EXERCISE TO REDUCE PERSISTING PAIN 

Participating in exercise helps to improve cardiovascular endurance, build muscle strength and increase flexibility, preparing the body for specific tasks that may usually cause pain, like lifting groceries or playing with your children.

Regular physical activity also helps to reduce fatigue and improve energy levels along with a decreased risk of re-injury. Exercise can be used like exposure therapy: small doses of movement in different ways can challenge the body and brain, helping to rewire our pain pathways and create new, positive experiences of exercise.

A 2017 systematic review found that individuals suffering from persisting pain who performed exercises with some level of pain reported significantly lower levels of pain in the short term, compared to individuals who performed completely pain-free exercises.

Overall, exercise is an integral part of our health as it provides physical and mental health benefits, including:

• Improved pain tolerance and pain desensitisation
• Increased strength, mobility and flexibility
• Reduced inflammation
• Helping with weight management
• Increased energy levels
• Improved immune function
• Improved sleep (yes, sleep can affect your pain)
• Improved mood and reduced depressive symptoms
• Reduced stress
• Improved PTSD symptoms (PTSD symptoms can increase persisting pain detection and increase hypersensitivity of our pain pathways)

SEEKING HELP FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT

If you’re struggling with persisting or chronic pain and want to use exercise to manage it, it’s best to see an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) for qualified advice.

Seeing an AEP to manage physical pain decreases your risk of making it worse or re-injuring yourself. They can help develop a safe exercise program ensuring you don’t withdraw from exercise as this can make painful symptoms worse.

Recovering from or managing persisting pain is a tough journey. Having a trusted clinician to provide support is the best and safest course of action, letting you know when you are doing too much or doing things that may be hindering your recovery.

If you are experiencing pain when exercising or struggling to manage persisting pain, connect with your local Accredited Exercise Physiologist today.

If you’re a veteran or family member impacted by service, then reach out to Australia’s veterans’ charity, Mates4Mates on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) to find out how you can make an appointment with a Mates4Mates AEP.

OTHER SUPPORT FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Mates4Mates provides veterans and family members with access to clinical support, including exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, and social workers.

For more information about Mates4Mates services, contact 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat or visit mates4mates.org for more information.

Written by Aric Visentin, Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES) at Mates4Mates.