The Right Kind of Exercise Twice A Week May Be Sufficient For Chronic Pain Management
"Three times a week" - this is a frequently-cited "dosage" for movement therapies, be it physical therapy, yoga or some other exercise regimen.
The chronic pain patient strapped for time may be pleased to know that "twice a week" may be just as effective a dose, at least for a certain type of physical therapy.
Researchers recently assigned individualized exercise therapy to a group of 58 people with chronic musculoskeletal pain three times a week, and to a group of 56 people with chronic musculoskeletal pain twice a week.
Though the programs were individualized, each contained the components of muscle strengthening, motor control, mobility, cardiovascular exercise and health education.
The physical therapy programs involved exercising in water, a method that provides resistance while de-loading the joints of the body.
Surprisingly, the researchers found comparable benefits in both groups at the one-year mark.
The group receiving physiotherapy twice a week is labelled "G2," while the group receiving it three times a week is "G3.
" Improvements in the following measures after one year of exercise therapy were as follows: Physical Health State: G2 = 16.
55%; G3 = 18.
89% Mental Health State: G2 = 27%; G3 = 30% Health-Related Quality of Life: G2 = 18%; G3 = 21% Pain: G2 = 26.
25%; G3 = 34.
27% Disability: G2 = 15.
4%; G3 = 17% Neck Disability: G2 = 35.
82%; G3 = 37.
82% Arthritis Index: G2 = 19.
1%; G3 = 9.
32% Overall, these comparable results may indicate that patients can reap similar benefits while saving both time and money by pursuing a regimented physical therapy program only twice a week.
See more on the study at http://www.
ncbi.
nlm.
nih.
gov/pubmed/24819432?dopt=Abstract.
While this study is promising, its results shouldn't be extended to just any type of exercise program.
The program implemented in this study had three special characteristics: 1) the exercise plans were individualized; 2) they were well-rounded, incorporated work for the whole body via diverse exercises and for the mind via education; and 3) they incorporated aquatic therapy.
This combination of factors could have been integral to the success of the twice-a-week intervention.
A chronic pain management exercise program may reap substantial benefits without taking up much time.
Of course, it's always a good idea to maintain a moderate activity level between your regimented sessions and avoid sitting for the majority of the day.
If you have musculoskeletal pain, talk with a physical therapist well-versed in multimodal program implementation.
The chronic pain patient strapped for time may be pleased to know that "twice a week" may be just as effective a dose, at least for a certain type of physical therapy.
Researchers recently assigned individualized exercise therapy to a group of 58 people with chronic musculoskeletal pain three times a week, and to a group of 56 people with chronic musculoskeletal pain twice a week.
Though the programs were individualized, each contained the components of muscle strengthening, motor control, mobility, cardiovascular exercise and health education.
The physical therapy programs involved exercising in water, a method that provides resistance while de-loading the joints of the body.
Surprisingly, the researchers found comparable benefits in both groups at the one-year mark.
The group receiving physiotherapy twice a week is labelled "G2," while the group receiving it three times a week is "G3.
" Improvements in the following measures after one year of exercise therapy were as follows: Physical Health State: G2 = 16.
55%; G3 = 18.
89% Mental Health State: G2 = 27%; G3 = 30% Health-Related Quality of Life: G2 = 18%; G3 = 21% Pain: G2 = 26.
25%; G3 = 34.
27% Disability: G2 = 15.
4%; G3 = 17% Neck Disability: G2 = 35.
82%; G3 = 37.
82% Arthritis Index: G2 = 19.
1%; G3 = 9.
32% Overall, these comparable results may indicate that patients can reap similar benefits while saving both time and money by pursuing a regimented physical therapy program only twice a week.
See more on the study at http://www.
ncbi.
nlm.
nih.
gov/pubmed/24819432?dopt=Abstract.
While this study is promising, its results shouldn't be extended to just any type of exercise program.
The program implemented in this study had three special characteristics: 1) the exercise plans were individualized; 2) they were well-rounded, incorporated work for the whole body via diverse exercises and for the mind via education; and 3) they incorporated aquatic therapy.
This combination of factors could have been integral to the success of the twice-a-week intervention.
A chronic pain management exercise program may reap substantial benefits without taking up much time.
Of course, it's always a good idea to maintain a moderate activity level between your regimented sessions and avoid sitting for the majority of the day.
If you have musculoskeletal pain, talk with a physical therapist well-versed in multimodal program implementation.
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