Movement & Exercise
It’s best to look through the treatment options and pick a few that interest you. Make sure to listen or watch the activities first, so you have an idea of what to expect before jumping in.
It’s best to look through the treatment options and pick a few that interest you. Make sure to listen or watch the activities first, so you have an idea of what to expect before jumping in.
Click the button below to listen to a brief AI audio overview of this page. It’s a helpful way to get started or to refresh your understanding if you’ve already explored this section.
By following guidelines that prioritize safety, monitoring bodily sensations, and gently exploring movement limitations, individuals can work towards reducing pain and improving their relationship with physical activity. The emphasis is on curiosity, patience, and finding what works best for the individual.
Self-release and movement techniques help you relieve muscle tension, reduce stiffness, and restore comfortable motion in your body. These practices often include gentle stretching, guided movements, and simple self-massage or “trigger point” work that you can do on your own. By learning to listen to your body and use these tools safely, you can release tight areas, improve flexibility, and reduce pain without needing constant hands-on help from a provider. Combined with mindful movement, self-release techniques can help you move with more ease and confidence, manage flare-ups, and feel more in control of your daily comfort.
Functional movement training focuses on teaching your body to move in safe, efficient, and natural ways that support daily activities — like standing, walking, bending, or reaching. For people with chronic pain, these exercises help restore confidence in movement, reduce fear of injury, and improve strength, balance, and coordination. By practicing real-life movements with proper technique and pacing, you can build resilience, prevent flare-ups, and make everyday tasks feel more manageable and less painful.
Yoga for chronic pain combines gentle movement, mindful breathing, and relaxation to help you reduce pain, tension, and stress in your body and mind. Unlike fast-paced or intense yoga styles, these practices focus on slow, safe movements, comfortable stretches, and positions that you can adapt to your unique needs and comfort level. Many people find that yoga helps them improve flexibility and strength, calm the nervous system, and build confidence in movement — all important parts of managing chronic pain. Over time, a regular yoga practice can help you move with greater ease, feel more relaxed and balanced, and better cope with the daily challenges of living with persistent pain.
Breathworks Mindful Movement can be described as a moving meditation, where attention is focused on the sensations and qualities of movement in the body. This approach aims to help individuals cultivate a greater awareness of their physical presence while fostering relaxation and ease of movement. The practice encompasses a sequence of gentle movements that can be adapted to various physical abilities, including those with limited mobility or chronic pain conditions.
The Feldenkrais Method is a gentle, mindful movement practice that helps people with chronic pain retrain their body and nervous system to move with more comfort, ease, and efficiency. Through small, slow movements and guided attention, Feldenkrais lessons teach you to become more aware of how you move, so you can let go of unnecessary tension and develop healthier movement patterns. For people with chronic pain, this approach can reduce muscle strain and stiffness, improve mobility and balance, and help you rediscover more comfortable ways to sit, stand, walk, and do daily activities. Over time, Feldenkrais can help you move more freely, feel more at ease in your body, and build confidence in your ability to manage pain and stay active.
Pilates for chronic pain focuses on gentle, controlled movements that help you strengthen your core muscles, improve posture, and move more efficiently in daily life. These exercises emphasize good alignment, breathing, and body awareness, which can help reduce unnecessary tension and protect painful or sensitive areas. Pilates can be adapted for all levels, making it a safe and effective way to build strength and stability without adding strain. For people with chronic pain, Pilates can support better balance, flexibility, and confidence in movement, helping you handle daily tasks with less discomfort and more ease. Over time, a regular Pilates practice can help you feel stronger, more supported, and more in control of your body.
Tai Chi is a gentle, flowing movement practice that helps people with chronic pain improve balance, reduce stiffness, and calm the mind and body. Often described as “meditation in motion,” Tai Chi combines slow, mindful movements with deep breathing, helping you stay relaxed while improving strength, coordination, and body awareness. For those living with chronic pain, Tai Chi can ease muscle tension and joint discomfort, reduce stress, and build confidence in safe, smooth movement. Because it’s low-impact and adaptable, Tai Chi can be practiced by people of all ages and abilities — either standing or seated. With regular practice, Tai Chi can help you move more freely, feel more balanced, and manage daily pain with greater calm and ease.
Qigong is an ancient mind-body practice that combines gentle, flowing movements, focused breathing, and mindful awareness to help people with chronic pain feel more balanced, calm, and comfortable in their bodies. Qigong movements are typically slow, smooth, and easy to adapt, making them suitable for all ages and abilities — even if you need to practice seated. By encouraging relaxed, natural movement, Qigong can help ease muscle tension, improve circulation and flexibility, and quiet the nervous system, which may help reduce pain and stress over time. Many people living with chronic pain find that practicing Qigong regularly helps them move more freely, feel more centered, and build a deeper sense of connection and self-care in daily life.