2020 - The Functional Restoration Program at Healthpointe

Exercises for Chronic Pain and Fitness

For people with chronic pain, fitness and exercise may seem out of the question. However, did you know that certain exercises can actually improve chronic pain? In fact, many doctors recommend exercise as a non-pharmaceutical option for treating chronic pain symptoms. Inactivity is linked to muscle weakening, and if you’re already dealing with chronic pain, the last thing you want is for your body to get weaker.

Chronic Pain

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that in 2016, approximately 20% of U.S. adults had chronic pain. Chronic pain is ongoing, and usually lasts longer than six months. One common characteristic is that the pain lasts for quite a while after the original injury or illness has passed. Sometimes, it can occur without a previous injury. Chronic pain is often related to headaches, arthritis, nerve damage, back injuries, or fibromyalgia.

Exercise

When it comes to exercising with chronic pain, it is important to only do what you can do. Pushing yourself to unrealistic standards will do nothing but stress your body out. It’s probably a good idea not to pay too much attention to most fitness ads when exercising with chronic pain, because they generally aren’t made with your needs in mind. Work on mastering the basics – breathing and stretching. Lastly, and most importantly, don’t start an exercise routine until you’ve discussed it with your doctor, as some exercises may be better (or worse) depending on the type of pain you’re experiencing.

Cardio

Cardio exercises, such as walking, swimming, or water aerobics, are great for chronic pain because they don’t put a lot of strain on the body as compared to some other types of exercise. This is especially true of swimming and water aerobics. Walking increases energy and reduces stiffness and pain. Swimming is a low-impact form of cardio exercise that incorporates the whole body, and water aerobics can help raise your heart rate, while at the same time helping you work body groups that would be painful to work on out of the water.

Stretching

Stretching is an underrated form of exercise that people with chronic pain can benefit from. For people with lower back pain, stretching is essential in order to relieve tightness in that area. People who stretch regularly have a more complete range of motion. Further, increasing your flexibility can help prevent injuries in the future.

Yoga

According to Bustle, Hatha Yoga is an excellent way to incorporate stretching, strength, and breathing exercises all at once. There’s also a meditation factor in yoga, which can help relieve some of the psychological effects of chronic pain. Yoga is especially helpful for treating back pain, which is the most common form of chronic pain. Many people have found that meditation helps them mentally separate from the painful body part, thus relieving them of pain.

Chronic pain shouldn’t stop you from getting the exercise your body needs. Taking the time to stretch and work your body out can really do wonders in relieving pain. Remember to consult with a doctor before adopting a new regimen, and most importantly, pay attention to the cues your body gives you.

Do you struggle with chronic pain? Are you looking for an alternative to opioid medication to treat your pain? Make an appointment with Healthpointe today. We have dedicated years to emphasizing conservative treatment for chronic pain, and through our Functional Restoration Program, we have further dedicated our time to helping our patients get off and stay off opioid medication.

FRP Provider Spotlight: Dr. David Gendreau

Here at Healthpointe, we believe in considering all aspects of a person when addressing their treatment and recovery. No doctor better exemplifies that mindset than Dr. David Gendreau, the chief chiropractor of our Functional Restoration Program. The Functional Restoration Program (FRP) at Healthpointe is an integrated program focused on helping patients with chronic pain by utilizing a bio-psycho-social approach. This approach takes the entire person into account, allowing for a holistic ideology behind the medicines to be implemented. Dr. Gendreau performs most of his duties in this scope at the Perris, California location.

Education

After graduating from the University of California, Irvine, he obtained his doctoral degree from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. Additionally, this is where he completed his residency in diagnostic imaging. Since graduating Summa Cum Laude and as a member of the Dean’s list, he has been working both in a private practice and as an independent contractor for Healthpointe. He has extensive experience teaching in both undergraduate and doctoral programs, and has spent time educating at the Dongguk University Los Angeles and the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He has spoken at several different seminars throughout Southern California, and has been a keynote presenter at the Gonstead Seminar in Palm Springs every year since 2012. In addition to his speaking engagements, he also has a lengthy publishing record in medical journals. One of his pieces, which was published in Clinical Chiropractic in 2007, is titled The Effect of Chiropractic Adjusting, Exercises and Modalities on a 32-year-old Professional Male Golfer with Hallus Rigidus.

Chronic Pain

Since February 2012, Dr. Gendreau has contributed to Healthpointe’s holistic approach to treating chronic pain, impacting patient’s lives for the better. About two years ago, he began working for the Functional Restoration Program, and is the initial doctor patients will interact with.

The FRP helps individuals get back to their lives and overcome their chronic pain. Backed by medical research and proven to be both evidence-based and effective, aspects such as function, activities of daily living, and returning to work are increased. This is accomplished by decreasing detriments such as pain, emotional suffering, and pain medication. Each patient interested in the program completes a Functional Restoration Program evaluation to determine if they are a candidate for the program. Aspects of the evaluation include medical, psychological, and physiotherapy evaluations with baseline testing. From there, the potential case is discussed with members of the FRP staff to determine candidacy.

Above: Patient Experiencing Chronic Neck Pain

Evaluations

At Healthpointe’s Perris office, Dr. Gendreau performs an extensive initial evaluation, even taking the measurements of the patient’s range of motion. If a patient progresses through the FRP, these measurements can then be referenced for comparison. This allows staff involved in the FRP to objectively measure each patient’s progress. Since progress is the main goal of the FRP, the objective ways of measuring progress are valuable. Examples can extend from the range of motion, to how many prescription pain killers each patient may need to go about daily life.

Exercise

The FRP focuses on the use of strengthening and stretching exercises—things the patient will have access to even when they’ve finished the program. The goal isn’t just limited to progress on paper. It also takes a hard look at a patient’s mobility, trying to get them towards exercising on their own. Dr. Gendreau stresses the mindset of improvement — “are there changes being made?” he asks. This is a question he asks himself every time a patient comes through Healthpointe’s Perris office for the FRP program. Dr. Gendreau acknowledges the importance of his position in the FRP, and states that everyone involved in the FRP’s “job is to help increase mobility, [the patient’s] attitude towards exercising, [develop] ways [for the patient to help themselves], and to decrease [their use of] pain meds.”

Everyone at Healthpointe knows how difficult it can be to live with chronic pain. If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain, please do not hesitate to reach out and see if you are a candidate for the Functional Restoration Program at Healthpointe. If you would like to make an appointment, please click the link or dial (888) 724-8153.