In our modern world, where stress and anxiety often cast long shadows, safeguarding our mental health becomes paramount. Amidst this tumult, a potent remedy is readily available – exercise. Beyond its physical benefits, exercise emerges as a formidable tool for nurturing mental wellbeing. Today, let’s embark on a journey to uncover the intricate relationship between exercise, physiotherapy, and mental health, exploring how they converge to redefine pain management through the lens of neuroplasticity.
The Comprehensive Impact of Exercise
Regular exercise serves as a cornerstone of a well-rounded lifestyle, offering a plethora of benefits beyond physical fitness. Embracing strength training not only fortifies bone health but also improves hormone profiles, mitigates pain, and enhances longevity. However, the profound effects of exercise extend beyond the physical realm, influencing mental wellbeing in profound ways.
Extensive research, including my ongoing work within my Masters in Psychology, underscores the profound impact of physical activity on mental health across diverse conditions. Delving deeper, my focus lies on the transformative potential of dance – an activity that not only uplifts mood but also has the power to change our brain. Research shows that dancers’ brains retain the ability to learn rapidly and change in response to their environment faster than non-dancers. This ability to change is known as “neuroplasticity”. Neuroplasticity (NP), the brain’s remarkable ability to rewire neural pathways allowing us to learn everything from turning our head to walking, and from babbling to discussing complex problems as adults sometimes in multiple languages. We used to think that NP slowed down or even stopped as we got older, however, exercise may be the key to retaining that young malleable brain! When we are injured our brain uses information from our tissue to get us to change our behaviour, typically this is temporary. However, in some cases, our brain rewires itself to not need information from the tissue in order to experience the sensations associated with the original injury. In this case NP is working against us we don’t fully understand yet why this happens but it appears that stress is a factor.
Harnessing Exercise in Pain Rehabilitation
Chronic pain used to be the idea that the pain had existed for more than 3 months, now we recognise it as pain that is occurring due to NP changes that may or may not be a result of a previous injury or illness. Chronic pain (including recurrent back or neck pain) is extremely frustrating for those dealing with it. However, we now know that for successful recovery we need to rewire the brain, and exercise, particularly strengthening exercises or those involving learning (such as dancing), have the power to remodel our brains. So it’s not just the getting stronger or improving your flexibility that makes you feel better but also the influence on the brain’s pain pathways that can create long-term changes.
If you have had a poor night’s sleep due to an upcoming exam or deadline at work, it’s not hard to see how stress can impact our health. In fact, did you know one of the strongest predictors of low back pain is stress!?
Stress and anxiety often manifest in physical ways such as muscle tension, pain, reduced immune response and low energy. While these physiological responses serve as adaptive mechanisms, chronic activation can result in conditions like chronic pain, fibromyalgia and migraines. Physiotherapy integrates targeted interventions to recalibrate the brain, improving health and reducing pain.
Physiotherapists, like myself, blend physical rehabilitation with neuroscience and psychology, recognising the inseparable nature of body and mind. In my practice, I endeavour to dismantle the root cause of pain, fostering integrated healing, reducing fear and pain so you can perform at your best!
So grab your sneakers, yoga mat or dance shoes and let me help you live better!
For booking at the clinic with Lucy, please call or WhatsApp us on 0504233302.
