I Manage Pain Flares with Physical Activity

I’ve made a lot of progress in learning how to manage Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), but I still experience pain flares.

My most recent flare improved dramatically after a massage. I was mostly back to normal (at least my version of normal), but then I went to a conference. I stayed in a rather upscale hotel with expensive amenities and what I’m sure was a deluxe mattress, but my back was not a fan. I was so stiff when I woke up that I could barely walk. My muscles were tight and my joints ached. I was OK once I got moving, but I knew that any progress during my last massage had been undone. It didn’t help that I was at a highly intensive conference with sessions until dinner.

In other words, I sat a lot. Ugh.

It might seem counterintuitive, but if I’m sore, I actually try to keep moving (to a certain extent, of course). I’ve found that a moderate amount of exercise during a pain flare keeps things from progressing until I can get a massage. It works more often than not, at least for me.

People often don’t understand why I want to keep moving when I’m in pain. There are a few reasons. I find activity helpful, but also, who wants to wallow in their pain if they can improve the situation? Yes, there are times when I need to rest. Rest is critical to my well-being. But for me, there’s a balance between rest and recovery via movement.

I tried to stand as much as possible during the conference and move around between sessions, but there was only so much I could do. After dinner, I did some modified Pilates in my hotel room and walked about half a mile to the restaurant area bordering the University of Maryland, where the conference was held. I felt so much better afterward. I wasn’t magically healed, but it was something.

Thankfully, I have the best massage therapist ever. Kim fit me into her schedule so she could redo all the progress we made last time. It’s a constant, and sometimes frustrating, cycle, but I’m so glad I’ve discovered tools that help me manage EDS the best I can.

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