***This content comes from the Joint Pain Programme Journal by Nuffield Health. As a Rehab Specialist running this program, I’m excited to share these helpful insights with you all.
As you make some changes to your activity levels, it is important that you listen to your body, as you will have some new sensations – good and bad.
While some of these sensations are a sign of the good you are doing, it is possible to “overdo” it, meaning that you have done more training in a short space of time than your body can adapt to.
Below are the signs and symptoms to look out for, to indicate whether you should be resting or using active recovery:
Rest: Zero activity
• Severe flare-ups
• Progressively worse joint pain with more exercise
• Additional symptoms such as joint swelling.
Recovery: Remaining active but reducing intensity and level of activity completed
• Mild aches and pains
• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
• Joint stiffness that lessens with activity.
Your Space to Reflect
📍 Starting Point
- How do you currently balance activity and rest?
- What signs tell you that you need more recovery time?
🤔 Looking Deeper
- When have you found the right balance between doing too much and too little?
- How does good recovery affect your next day's activities?
💡 Exploring Possibilities
- Which recovery strategies work best for you?
- What activities help you rest while staying productively engaged?
🔄 New Perspectives
- How might viewing rest as productive rather than lazy change things?
- What would an ideal balance of activity and recovery look like?
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