Activity pacing

People who live with persistent pain often report how is affects everyday activity, including doing the things that really matter to them. People may manage this in a few different ways.

An example some people may get into a cycle of "boom busting". This is where a person may be "over-active" on the better day (boom) only to experience a set-back for the hours or days that follow (bust).

In time, some will notice that they become less active and perhaps need more time to recover from these episodes.

There are many reasons why people may do this. Such; a need to get the job done, a desire to not "give in", habit, or maybe because of expectations set by others and themselves.

 

What is activity pacing?

"Activity pacing" is another way to carry out an activity. Pacing in its simplest form is actually doing an activity in shorter "chunks" and doing something different or even stopping before the pain "flares up".

A "flare up" is an increase in pain that prevents you from doing any planned activity. It can last for hours or even days.

 

How do you pace activity?

Pacing might involve breaking up activity (such as housework or gardening) into smaller chunks.

It may also involve prioritising and planning your activity too. For example, writing down a list of what needs to be done according to what's important, what gives you a sense of achievement and what you enjoy. A "must", "should", "could" list.

Remember, it's also important to set time aside for periods of rest and relaxation too.

Activity pacing can also be a useful tool to slowly build up your tolerance to do more activity and / or exercise. To make a start with this, you need to work out your baseline.

 

How do you find your baseline?

A baseline is the amount of activity that can be done without flaring up your pain.

Try to think of activities that cause your symptoms to worsen (e.g. walking, standing, exercising, etc) and consider how long you can perform each activity for without increasing your pain.

Finding a baseline can often be difficult as pain is not always predictable and can change from day-to-day. Therefore, to work out your baseline you may need to time yourself on both a good day and a bad day.

 

Pacing up

Once you've set your baseline, after a period of time you can begin to build on this slowly. A useful rule of thumb is to increase by 10-20%.

Why do this?

Whilst recognising the challenges and frustration with starting to pace, the overall benefits of pacing can mean that:
You can lessen the ups and downs of the boom-bust cycle.
It may offer a sense of control as you are choosing how much to do, as opposed to the pain.
Over time, it may allow you to be able to do more activity.

Pacing is providing you with another choice to allow you to work towards the things that matter to you.

If you would like more information of this or would like me to help plan a programme, please call Newcastle Integrated Physiotherapy on 0249572961

 

We recently welcomed a new Physiotherapist, Marnus, to our team. 

Marnus grew up in a number of locations around Australia, before completing his Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Newcastle in 2019. In 2020 Marnus was based in the Port Macquarie region, where he learnt many manual therapy techniques.

Had an operation recently? Marnus is your guy! With a particular interest in post-operative rehabilitation, Marnus also loves seeing patients make progress after a musculoskeletal injury.  

When he's not busy treating patients, you'll find Marnus walking along the Newcastle beaches, playing guitar or soccer, or learning to surf.

To book an appointment with Marnus, please call us on 4957 2961.

As we enter the second month of 2021, it's easy to let life's busyness distract us from sticking to those great goals we set at the beginning of the new year. 

We believe that you can implement new habits and set goals any day of the year, but here are our top tips for creating goals that will stick!

Creating achievable goals 

Create SMART goals

Setting vague goals is an easy way for you to forget or put off achieving your goals. 

Have you heard of SMART goals? 

SMART stands for;

Specific: Instead of simply aiming to exercise 'more', set a specific amount of exercise you want to do at a particular time or day to keep yourself accountable. For example, I will exercise three days a week.

Measurable: Used number-based goals to measure your progress. For example, I will exercise for 45mins three  days a week.

Achievable: Don't go from 0 to 100. You're more likely to hit your goal if it's attainable. Success breeds success, so the more realistic your goals are and the more you hit them, the more motivated you will be to keep going. 

Relevant: Don't let someone else's New Year's resolution influence you. Your goals are for you, after all. Make them appropriate to suit your lifestyle and your needs.

Time-Based: Setting yourself a specific deadline to achieve your goal will keep you motivated. I will exercise for 45 minutes three days a week for the next month.

Prioritise habits over goals 

In his bestselling book, Atomic Habits, author James Clear argues that implementing recurring habits and routines is the key to achieving your goals. He believes that setting goals doesn't lead to long-term change. Long-term goals can also leave you feeling unmotivated if you don't reach them. 
You can read more about his advice for implementing systems that work for you here. 

Stack habits

Another great system mentioned in Atomic Habits is habit stacking. Find an activity that you do every day, which comes naturally to you, like drinking coffee or brushing your teeth, and "stack" your new desired habit on top of it.

If your New Year's resolution is to read more, then try reading instead of scrolling on your phone while you drink your morning cup of coffee. It's all about making your goals as easy to achieve as possible.

Find an accountability partner 

Most of our goals are self-centred, so it's easy to feel alone in your journey. Find a friend or family member and keep each other accountable by checking in daily, weekly, or however often you see fit. You don't need to work towards the same goal, you just need to keep each other motivated. 

Don't let a bad day stop you from reaching your goals 

And finally, if you have a bad day, week, or month, don't feel defeated! Although setting New Year's resolutions is fun, there's no deadline on trying new things or getting back on track. 

If you've let your goals slip since the start of the year, don't worry, relax and try again tomorrow!

Dealing with an injury is always tricky, but it's especially hard during the summer months when you want nothing more than to feel the fresh air on your skin and to enjoy the beautiful Newcastle beaches. 

Luckily, we offer fibreglass casting. Gone are the days of dealing with a bulky plaster cast wrapped in a plastic bag every time you shower. 

What is a fibreglass cast?

Casts have been used to treat broken and injured bones and joints for hundreds of years. Traditional casts are made using plaster, but in the 1970s medical professionals began using fibreglass; a bendable plastic material.

Should I choose fibreglass or a traditional plaster cast?

The main benefit of a traditional plaster cast is that it's an affordable option. Your Physiotherapist may opt for a plaster cast in some situations as the material is easier to mould closely to your body. 

Fibreglass casts, however, have numerous other benefits. A fibreglass cast is lighter and more durable, giving you wide range of motion and allowing you to complete your daily activities more easily. Fibreglass casts are also known to produce less sweat and odour, which will leave your skin cleaner and less itchy. This is especially relevant during the warmer months or for active people.

Combining a waterproof lining and fibreglass cast allows you to shower, bathe, and swim as normal. Because fibreglass casts are lighter than traditional plaster alternatives, they're also easier to X-ray. This will make getting check-ups a whole lot easier for you and your Physio.

How do I care for my fibreglass cast?

Fibreglass casts are highly durable, but you can take some extra steps to extend the life of your cast.

1. Dry your cast with a hairdryer when it gets wet (on the inside or outside). Feeling itchy? You can also use your hairdryer on a cool setting to soothe your skin.
2. Try to keep pressure off your cast as much as possible. Don't carry or place heavy weights on your cast. If you see a crack in your cast, come see us right away!
3. Keep products like sunscreen, moisturiser, or deodorant away from your cast.
4. We know it's hard during summer, but keep sand and dirt away from your cast as much as possible. Not only will it weaken your cast, but you'll be left feeling itchy for days. 

If you have any further questions about fibreglass casting and our available options, please call us on 4957 2961 to chat with a knowledgeable Physio.

Merry Christmas from the Newcastle Integrated Physiotherapy team! We thank you for sticking with us through a difficult year, and look forward to working with you in 2021. 

Here's what our team has to say about the upcoming holiday (and how they combat overindulgence):

"My favourite things about Christmas are spending time with family, eating seafood, and hanging at the beach. I love exercise and will combat my overindulgence with food and wine by doing an early morning swim at the beach with the kids, walking the dog after his big lunch, and maybe even doing some rowing." - Zoltan

"Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I get to enjoy all my favourite foods guilt-free. I get to go back to my home town which is Tamworth and spend time with my family. Each year my parents put on a big family lunch and all my relatives come over. The one thing that sucks now that I'm older is my parents won't let me open presents until my brothers who don't live at home anymore get there and they usually don't turn up home until late morning, so I have to wait to open my presents." - Sara

"I like watching little children opening their presents with great excitement and the older ones pretending they still believe in Santa." - Ruth

"My favourite thing about Christmas is eating all the wonderful food and watching the joy and excitement on my boy's faces with Santa gifts. I enjoy an early morning swim at the beach and a walk after lunch with my dog to overcome the feeling of overindulgence!" - Kara

"Christmas is special to me as it's the one time of year that all the family comes together. It's all about spending quality time together eating, swimming, and relaxing. Christmas day usually begins with a glass of champagne whilst we open presents, followed by a traditional hot lunch with all the trimmings, and then ends with a prawn roll by the pool (for those that can fit it in!)." - Lucy

"Christmas in my household centres around family and food. My parents host our traditional Christmas lunch with cold roast meat, salads, and numerous desserts! Its usually hot enough to use the pool, so after we've eaten our bodyweight in food, we head down for a relaxing afternoon around the pool, with everyone usually staying to eat the leftovers for dinner.

Over the holiday period, I give myself a week off my usual training and exercise routine, and spend the time outside taking my dog to the beach and the park, swimming at the baths, and I might even throw in a hike or two if its not too hot!" - Libby

Christmas Closedown Dates:

While we enjoy spending time with our family and overindulging we will be closed from the 24th of December to the 5th of January. Our Physiotherapist Ruth will open on Saturday mornings over this period.

Please call us on 4957 2961 to book an appointment over the next few weeks. And if you need help getting back on track in the new year, then you know where to find us!