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Moderation and Modification: How can it help your chronic pain?
Moderation involves how much, how long, or how fast you do things to avoid overdoing or underdoing activities during your day.
To practice moderation:
~ Break apart lengthy tasks.
~ Alternate activities.
~ Prioritize tasks.
~ Take frequent rest breaks.
~ Work at a moderate pace.
~ Change the frequency of tasks.
~ Delegate.
~ Set time limits.
Modification involves changing how you perform your activity to help conserve energy and reduce risk of injury.
Examples of modification:
~ Maintain good posture and body mechanics with all activities.
~ Work sitting down when possible; conserve energy.
~ Bend your knees, not your back to reach items or perform task
below hip height.
~ Use tools appropriate for the job. These can include long-handle,
light weight, padded ergonomic grip handles, appropriate lengths
for your height and task.
~ Push rather than pull to move heavy items. Ask for help when
needed (delegate).
~ Alternate positions.
What moderation and modification tips do you think would help you with your chronic symptoms? Are you applying any currently? How do you feel about opening your mind to trying them, if not?
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I agree with you; we work all our live to help others and now we are retired an to control moderation in something we want to do is not instinctive!
I wish I would have treated my body years earlier so I could enjoy retirement better!
Keep trying, I do, I even do Taekwondo to help me stretch and control my core muscles. I want to enjoy my years ahead (so how, not fully successful yet, but I keep trying to find things I really enjoy).
Hi @gcgranor and @rocknrobbn Boy, do I hear you! I do have things I enjoy - too many actually - and still want to "do it all."
My best tip, from the psychologist I am seeing (after I resisted for a long time) through my Pain Rehab Clinic, is to "be intentional" - we talked through focusing on the task at hand and finding peace or joy in the process, instead of trying to multi-task. I find that I have much less tendency to try to "do it all" and end up in pain for days.
One example - unload the dishwasher later. Focus on the ritual of preparing breakfast - heating the water and preparing the infuser for my morning tea, fixing my yogurt bowl while it steeps, then sitting down to enjoy both - preferably on the porch, surrounded by trees and gardens.
Another - In the garden choose a specific patch to work on, notice how it looks before and mentally plan what I want it to look like. Trim, pull weeds, dig and pot the out of place plants, stopping every few minutes to look at your progress. When finished, sit and admire what I accomplished. After a break, make a list of anything I still need to do there.
Or choose to clean the pond and its filters - and do just that - no running with the hose to "just water those pots", no stopping to "just pull a few weeds."
Today, my husband and I have committed to clean and declutter just one shelf in the garage. If we can do this each day while we are home, we will finish by August. Much better than when I cleaned a whole shed in 2 days last year, and ended up "out of commission" for 2 weeks.
Sue
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6 ReactionsCircling back around to this conversation for some accountability. For me the holidays are a marathon and if I don't go slow and steady and pace myself, I crash and burn. None of us are perfect we all make mistakes and fall off the wagon with the rules and the principles of how we should manage our chronic pain and symptoms. The good news is it's never too late to restart, reset, and refocus. What tools do you have in your toolbox to help you manage chronic pain throughout the hustle and bustle of not only the holidays but life itself?
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3 ReactionsI feel all of you are so far ahead of me. I’m in this Long Covid thing for 22months. I CANNOT accept it. I have done all sorts of therapies, and tried all kinds of medications, and I continue to get worse. It seems to me acceptance is giving up, and I can’t give up! I just can't! I don’t expect to get back to who I was 100%, but I have hopes of regaining some of my health.
Of course I don’t know what everybody’s health issue is, but I find it impossible to accept where I am now.
I don’t push myself too hard physically, but I am always researching, and looking for healthcare that might help me.
Maybe it’s a fool’s errand but I can’t stop.
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2 ReactionsHi, Sue. Being intentional, I like it. Your examples are helpful and paint a nice picture. You sound a lot like me...getting caught up in the joy of an activity and overdoing or easily being pulled in other directions. Guilty! Christmas is my biggest joy of the year and I love decorating. And while my brain gets so excited and caught in pushing along, my body does not. Patience is key to pacing and being intentional while focusing on the task at hand. It takes work and repetition, but has helped me this holiday season. Don't get me wrong I am still a work in progress and probably always will be. Haha! Isn't it something that we only hurt ourselves in the long run and that's our own fault. Ah, accountability.
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2 ReactionsHi @dloos, I have been where you are and others were farther ahead of me, too. Please be kind to yourself while you're going through such an upheaval of life. Long covid is very unfortunate and I'm sorry that you're feeling frustrated and non accepting, I get that 100%. I also understand Dr Google researching and trying to find a fix or a cure just to be able to get back to life as you once knew it. While some of us never can get back to that version there are certainly ways to work through what it is your facing and hopefully lessen symptoms or learn how to respond different. Have you heard of the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center?
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2 ReactionsThis sounds like me before Pain Management Therapy "... It seems to me acceptance is giving up, and I can’t give up!...
Acceptance is not giving up, it is the key to finding your way forward. Let me tell you my story.
I am a "fair rat" in Minnesota, where our wonderful fair lasts 12 days, and in my "before" days, I wanted to be there all day, all 12 days...6-8 of those days volunteering 4-8 hours in various booths, then staying on to enjoy the sights and sounds, plus going one day with extended family, and another with my husband - arriving by 9am and staying until after dark. Add a one hour commute to each end of this...
Suddenly, Covid intervened, the Fair was cancelled, I learned that I didn't "just hurt", but had a condition called Chronic Pain Syndrome to go along with my asthma, bronchiectasis, arthritis and a hyperactive inflammatory response to...everything. I entered into a Pain Rehab Program...halfway. I met with the PM specialist, got on some new (no narco/no NSAID) meds, added an amazing PT.
In 2022, the Fair was back in full swing, and in spite of cautions by my husband and pain management team, I scheduled back-to-back-to-back long days at the Fair...and the day after Labor Day I CRASHED! I was out of commission for a whole week.
In 2023, I added a psychologist to my team. Yes, it was recommended earlier, but I didn't think I needed it. Following my new philosophy of being intentional & safeguarding my well-being, I scheduled 6 days at the fair, with a one day break between each. I limited volunteering to one favorite group, and declined requests to fill extra volunteer shifts. At the last day, I had enough energy to make a last pass around the ground to catch the sights I had missed. And I was fully able to participate in the "back to school" celebration at my daughter's house the next day - no crash.
So, you can teach an old lady new tricks.
A new trick this year - we used to drive home from Texas to Minnesota for the holidays - 24 hours of driving EACH way. Now we FLY - 9 hours door-to-door, including the trips to and from the airport - and we are not totally worn out for 3 days after arrival. One good night of sleep and we're ready to go! Because we scheduled in advance, it might even have been cheaper than gas, motels and meals!
@rwinney I too love the holidays - gifting, decorating, baking, entertaining... here are a few of my new tricks.
Everyone gets to choose ONE favorite treat to be made. Some are made in advance & frozen; others are a group activity. My kids, and even my little grandkids, have learned that Grammie needs them to do the clean up after these adventures.
My 4' tree and display shelves take under 4 hours to put up.
I did all my shopping on-line with local pickup (no worrying about delayed delivery) and picked it up today. Tomorrow I will wrap.
Christmas Eve dinner is a handful of traditional dishes plus a kid-friendly one, we open gifts & go to church after the kids go home to bed.
Christmas Day, with my our kids, sister & 3 of her kids is low-key, late in the day after kids have had time to play with their new toys - a potluck of favorite dishes that changes every year, and switches between our homes.
I still entertain extended family - with a post-Christmas evening of appetizers, desserts and beverages. And a fun activity for the little kids (ages 4-9) supervised by the aunts and uncles, followed by playing in the guest room - Legos, play store & kitchen, kid card games- little adult intervention required. Adults and older teens visit in the living & dining rooms - and the 3-season porch is the low-noise quiet space, usually with a jigsaw puzzle or table game in progress.
Other than Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, there is at least one recovery day between each active day. If energy permits, we'll invite a few neighbors in one evening for very simple appetizers and desserts.
This schedule allows us to enjoy the season - with a few outings to see the lights, enjoyat least one Christmas performance, and see friends. But we are sane and healthy at the end, and ready to travel back to our Texas home.
So, accepting is...accommodating, adjusting, seeing a new reality - but not giving up.
Sue
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4 ReactionsMy issues may be a bit different than most. Pain and fatigue are not my main issues. I have altered perception. My hearing is shot with extreme pressure in both ears. My eyesight is blurry and my nasal passages swell shut. I’m being treated for inflammation as a result of Mast Cell syndrome. I am dizzy, and
I also have digestive problems.
It’s very hard to have a normal life with these challenges.
So far the treatment has not made a difference, in fact I still feel I am getting worse.
I have an Integrative medicine team that I do have confidence in, but I am fairly new to treatment. I have started with a psychologist. I continue to feel that if my physical ailments improved, my psychological issues would resolve. But, in the meantime....
Right now I am basically an invalid, and I have not adjusted well to my new limitations.
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1 ReactionSue, what a great well laid out blue print for the holidays! Practice makes perfect. I'm glad you've found your way through modifying plans and moderating actions to be able to allow yourself pleasure without inducing symptoms and dealing with a crash. Finding that balance is super important to be able to enjoy the holidays. Navigating and strategizing, that's how I see it, and that's what I do better each year. For instance last year I wrote myself a note of the things I needed to make changes with like delegating, time limitations, patience and not being a perfectionist. I packed the note for the following year with my Christmas decorations. I actually forgot about it until I opened a tote! It helped me be accountable to myself for modifying this year. Pat, pat, pat on the back. It's not easy and I will say that it takes discipline (which I don't always apply) to stick to the "rules" and not go crazy in the moment (hurt myself in the long run) because of wants versus needs. Lessons we all continue to learn. Life is about evolution and growth, and as you say, "not giving up".
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1 ReactionI'm sorry you are struggling. You're not alone, many of us have been in the depths of it and feel as you do right now. Sounds to me like you're working hard to advocate for yourself and problem solve. Keep up that good work and give yourself some grace, You recognize that your psychological state will improve with physical abilities. Even though it's hard, try to dig deep and purposefully look for what it is you CAN do in the moment verses what you can't. Can you actively use yours arms to lift a can or water bottle for some conditioning? Can you do legs exercises while laying in bed? Something that helps you feel like you are accomplishing physically activity may help.
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