3) Pacing: Regulating Your Activity

In this lesson, you will learn about pacing for chronic pain. Pain often leads to changes in activity levels. You may avoid certain activities as a way to avoid pain. Or, you push harder because you’re determined to ignore the pain. Pushing harder can cause pain flares. But, avoiding activity can lead to even worse pain and reduced capability.

Pacing gives you a way to break everyday activities and exercise into smaller bits. It’s doing a little often, or finding the midway between overactivity and underactivity. Pacing is an important pain management tool because it helps you do the things you need/want to do, but in a safe way that avoids pain flares.

Please consider having a look at our Pacing Page, within the I-Engage App, to access and learn how to use tools to help you achieve success

Pacing is an activity management strategy. It helps people with chronic pain and fatigue limit the number and severity of relapses, while still remaining active. You’ll develop a method to do as much as you can within your limits.

To entice you to try pacing, know that treatment trials use it regularly. Additionally, research studying pacing has shown that most participants found it helpful. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) lists pacing as an effective component in treatment for chronic pain and fatigue.

In the next topic, you’ll learn about the main principles of pacing. Select “The Principles of Pacing” below or in the left-side menu to continue.