Is physical exercise necessary?

I'm wondering if physical exercise is part of the "treatment"? My symptoms have never really prevented me from doing anything, even if at times they feel debilitating. However, I have never been into sports or exercising at the gym. I used to force myself because it is meant to be "good for you". Do I now need to change the habit and start exercising regularly? I have read that some people have gotten over their symptoms quicker through exercise/sports etc but only because they do it as they love it and had previously allowed TMS to stop them.

 

I should also add that when I did manage to find the motivation to go and experienced pain I would use that as an excuse not to continue, thereby feel better about not going because I had a reason not to.

 

It is very important. It doesn't mean it has to be a boring exercise. But it needs to make you feel more and more confident about moving the pain area.

Well this one seems to be TMS affecting your reasoning. The problem is, the less you go, the more your mind believes it needs to send pain to protect you.

 

It is very important for general health reasons? I have not been to a gym for years and I would only be going to heal the pain. I've heard Dr Sarno to say don't do anything for the pain (eg. PT, massage, etc) yet many people exercise and get better because of it. I am just not interested in exercising even though I am aware movement is important for general health reasons. When I am on holiday I can walk for miles and miles despite the pain I feel.

 

@vixb - it sounds like regular workouts are not your thing. My $0.02 is, you do you.

I think the main point of this is to resume your normal, regular activities. Don't avoid any activity for fear of the pain.

 

Dr. Sarno felt regular exercise was necessary - as @JanAtheCPA points out, for overall health.
I don’t like the gym either nor sports, and don’t like group classes. But I love to be active. I walk longer distances, do qui gong at home using youtube videos, hope to get back to swimming and my goal is kneeling paddle boarding and kayaking.
TMS tries to make us small, live in a little box of safety, and sometimes “dislike” is fear or resistance (sometimes it’s dislike).
Moving is a great way to release the body and mind of stress.

 

For general reasons, yes, but I was talking about TMS reasons. It's one of the components of physical therapy, teaching the brain the movement is safe, what reduces the pain. And I believe, one of the reasons PT is approaching mindbody solutions faster than the general medical system.

EDIT----
I just remembered, there's been a lot of chronic pain studies regarding VR. You can buy one of those cheap headsets, insert your phone and watch 360-degree walking videos on youtube. But I suspect it works better for very sensitized cases.

 

Yes this all makes sense. I am trying to find the motivation to do something. I used to go to yoga regularly and trained as a yoga teacher but since 2020, aside from walking I have no regular activity that makes me move. I know it is good for me and I have things I could do at home. What I do notice is that when I stretch or move about the pain is less. So I will massage my neck and roll it around, stretching it, when it is sore - should I be doing that because by doing that I am focusing on pain?

 

Oh that sounds great. So are you actually exercising or just feeling like you are? If the latter doesn't that defeat the object of moving?

 

This is a continual dilemma for me: things that are objectively good for you, but subjectively I don't really feel like doing them. Should you force yourself to eat healthy if you don't enjoy it? Surely the body produces some kind of stress/resistance when you are forcing something. Enjoyment is inherently good for the body and good for health also, probably more than any program. Hard to get the balance right.

 

It's like a visualization exercise. You imagine doing that without symptoms and the brain creates new neuropathways for movement that aren't linked to danger, without the need of movement.
But I really don't know how effective it is. It's all too new. I tried a little with my cheap VR and did nothing for me. But these videos are really cool

 

If you are doing the inner work, working with fear and anxiety and any personality traits that contribute to stress, then why not do things that make you feel good?
If you understand that stretching won’t “ cure” TMS but you feel good stretching, aren’t pressuring yourself healing or focusing on the physical then stretch away! Dani Fagan an TMS/yoga coach approaches movement: fear and self-confidence with yoga and meditation (and doing inner work).
I use a PT who has helped me immensely and now incorporates mind/body work and recommends coaching to his patients he suspects have TMS. My TMS coach is also an exercise therapist. The key is mindset.
Your lack of interest in yoga just might be part of TMS mechanism trying to keep you safe.
When my own fear and anxiety began to diminish, my interests in all aspects of life returned. Challenging myself physically still creates fear but my accomplishments are exhilarating!

 

Not to split hairs, but I don't recall Sarno saying that regular exercise is necessary. I know he said to resume all normal physical activities, which may include exercise.

Daily Reminder 6 - Since my body is basically normal there is nothing to fear

Daily Reminder 7 - Therefore physical activity is not dangerous

Daily Reminder 8 - And I must resume all normal physical activity.