When my muscles are sore and I still want to get my workout in I go to the pool.  The water is a great place to take the pressure off my joints and I feel great when I'm done.

When my pain first started I really thought there was something majorly wrong with my body. 
I was so scared, so I reached out to Tony Clark on Facebook a therapeutic massage expert. He explained that my pain could be caused by the way I sit and the fact that I don't move or get any exercise.
I was working at my computer 13 hours a day and not getting up. Sometimes sitting on my bed hunched over with my laptop on my lap for hours at a time. It was causing muscles in my back, shoulders, and neck to seize up and ruining the alignment of my spine. I was having spasms in my chest and sharp pain between my shoulder blades so much so that I saw a cardiologist thinking it was my heart.  
​He suggested massage therapy to me and here it what I learned from him.

For thousands of years, massage therapy has been practiced and trusted as a healing technique. You don’t need to visit a luxury spa or upscale health club to enjoy its benefits. Today, you can schedule a massage appointment in offices, clinics, hospitals, airports, or even your home. It’s no longer considered an indulgence - it’s an essential element of self-care and well-being.
According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA®):

• 75% of the individuals surveyed claim their primary reason for receiving a massage in the past 12 months was medical (including pain relief, soreness, stiffness or spasm, injury recovery, migraines, and injury prevention).
• 61% of the individuals surveyed stated their physician has recommended they get a massage

Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It's increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations. Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension.

Even with the best intentions — like walking around every hour or taking frequent breaks during your workday — sitting for hours on end is bad for your body.
Hunching over a desk often leads to tight hips and legs, a weak core, and imbalances in your neck, upper back and chest muscles.

Are you tired of chronic pain controlling your life?
Dealing with pain very day can be very difficult. It can even cause you to miss out on vacations, birthdays and even work.
Of course, that’s only if you let it.
One of the most important lessons I learned from my chronic pain, was how to use my pain as a motivator. I’m not ashamed to admit that it took me 3 years to see it this way. So what I have done it to make it a power tool and not a burden. 
It’s simple: I allowed my pain to hold me hostage. The days that I have the most pain makes me want to move even more, to power through. 

This is one of the docs that have taught me a lot about helping and healing my pain. He has lots of helpful videos on Youtube. 

The importance of moving! The longer you don't move the worse your pain becomes and the longer it stays with you. For me sitting at a desk for 12 hours a day is what started it for me. My therapist would work with me for 6 weeks at a time and I would feel great for about 3 weeks, but then I would stop doing my exercise and slowly the pain would return. Took me 3 years of it to realize that everyday moving and walking is a must. 

6 Ways Regular Exercise Affects Chronic Pain

1. It decreases pain.
2. It improves energy level and reduces fatigue.
3. It uplifts mood and helps depression.
4. It inproves joint health.
5. It increases overall day-to-day functionality.
6. It helps to control weight (when combined with a healthy diet).

We don't have to be marathon runners. I have arthritis in my neck and was told by my doc no running. So I walk! Started with a daily trip to the mailbox and back, in a few weeks I could do a half a mile. Today I do 2 miles everyday at my local park. I am still working to go farther.

I meet all kinds of people on my walks from runners to an 75 year old man with a walker that walks 3 miles a day very slowly. The bottom line is no matter how you move doesn't matter JUST MOVE!!!

​Get a good pair of shoes so your keep your body aligned properly and keep your joints from the pounding.

The Columbus Running Company is my place to get the best shoes. They are all runners and walkers that own and work there and are very helpful. If you don't live near a store you can get them on amazon as well.