Spiritual Fitness & Living With Chronic Pain

Make the Commitment

• Spiritual Offering. I knew I needed to offer my body and soul as a living sacrifice to God. I know that I have an eternal connection as one with God through His Son. The process of getting active with chronic pain and living a healthier life was my rational service to Him, as well as my spiritual testimony to others. Ultimately, the pain has been a gift because I depend more on God and more fully realize the importance of walking in faith.
• Renewal of Mindset. Having a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, I already had extensive education regarding holistic fitness. My journey has not been as focused on the outer body, as it has been on the brokenness between soul and spirit from chronic pain. Going deep spiritually has led me to help clarify the massive fragmentation about the inner world to those who also have intense, unending, painful struggles.
• Establish a Baseline. Attain a baseline about your condition to ensure safety against clinical instability and direction regarding your journey. I encourage you to forfeit the idea that you must protect yourself from additional pain by remaining stagnant. Not doing so creates a worsened “out-of-shape” condition for you.

Maintain the Commitment

• Behavioral Modification. As I focused on getting active with chronic pain, my vision sharpened and I saw quick glimmers of truth for my life. The following are perpetual thoughts that come to mind: Focus. Do not fear. Have courage. Remain strong in faith. Do not compare yourself to anyone else. Be disciplined. Continue the race of life. God, my body is yours. Believe in active change for the better. Make the choice to persevere “through”…
• Visualize. When making choices to exercise to counteract being woefully out-of-shape from chronic pain, I simply visualized the desired outcomes of increased activity. I asked God to provide some visual imagery for me about living with chronic pain more nobly.
• Participate in Your Passion. You may or may not be able to return to work, especially as more time passes. So some of your emotional needs of approval, identity, security and purpose you felt while working are not being met. I encourage you to participate in something more abstract and adaptive to your lifestyle. For example, this might be a project, ministry, hobby, family, civic or community undertaking. Whatever it is, do something outside yourself for enjoyment and fulfillment. Do not let the guilt of pain steal your passion about forward living.
• Contemplative Thinking & Prayer. I frequently ponder about how to stay on the path of transformation. In essence, I’ve spent more time thinking contemplatively than complaining about my chronic pain. Contemplative thinking opens a dialogue between God and me.
• Dietary. Within this website, under the section “Ways to Lose Weight – Dietary Considerations,” I have more specifically outlined the dietary regime I undertook to lose 50 pounds. As a reminder, my revised dietary program centered around certain limitations of chronic pain, such as not having enough energy to shop for food and prepare six meals per day. Instead, I created my own nutritional process, gleaning solid principles from many other diet plans. With enough knowledge, you can do this as well for yourself.
• Exercise. An article in the Journal of Rheumatology, and dozens of studies, indicates that people who adhered strictly to an exercise regimen experience greater improvement in daily functioning and a larger reduction in pain. Here are some basic tips to help you stick with an exercise program:
  1. Schedule a regular and specific time for exercise. Morning time usually works best.
  2. Plan to perform some type of physical activity within your abilities for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Try to create a buddy-system for planned exercise, as a source of encouragement and to reduce the possibility of re-injury.
  4. Use DVD discs on an appropriate exercise program, if you’re alone.
  5. Possibly hire a personal trainer for additional help.

  Below are my current methods of exercise:

  Aerobic Exercise. When I began to attempt exercising several years after my accident, I began walking around an outdoor middle school track with my mother-in-law. She proved to be a great source of encouragement. We walked a few laps around the track at a very casual pace. Nothing significant in terms of increasing our heartbeats or pulse rates, as there was concern about re-injury.

  In actuality, I started slowly, but steadily…walking…then walking longer distances…then finally, treadmill walking longer distances at faster rates for 30 minute intervals, six times per week. Did you know that fast walking burns as many calories as slow running or heavy exercise?
  Commonly, aerobic exercise and weight training are recommended to increase exercise tolerance and decrease chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. However, in my case, I wasn’t able to do any weight lifting whatsoever, especially with the fragility of my chronic neck condition. In fact, I have permanent lifting restrictions of about 5-10 pounds.

  Stretching. In replacement of weight lifting, I am undergoing stretching to maximize range of motion of my core. And I am undergoing deep tissue neuromuscular massage treatment from a therapist who breaks up fibrous adhesions throughout my body. Both seem to be helpful ways to increase flexibility, posture, and perceived strength and endurance.

• Sleep. In an attempt to better regulate my sleeping habits, I usually turn in for the evening around 10:00-10:30 p.m. However, chronic pain often interrupts my sleep patterns, as it might yours. I usually awaken very early, around 2:00-2:30 each morning. Regardless, I usually take afternoon naps to refuel for the rest of the early evening.Anyhow, I highly recommend adequate sleep for restorative and metabolic purposes.

More information about getting active with chronic pain and related topics are contained within this site. Thank you for stopping by…