Maybe you have been sedentary and resting most of the time for so long that you cannot imagine starting to be more physically active. Or maybe you are afraid that even the slightest bit of physical activity will cause a spike in your pain symptoms. Whatever your reason for being hesitant to be physically active right now, you might start by increasing your level of “lifestyle physical activity” first.
Lifestyle physical activities are things that you do or enjoy as a normal part of daily life, such as cleaning the house or playing with children. Chances are you do some of these physical activities in your day-to-day life. So, instead of having to start a specific activity program, identify the ways that you are already being active and slowly build on this.
As you move from left to right across the activity spectrum below, you will see that the activities listed require more energy and physical effort. Depending on how you feel, it might be realistic for you to build up to activities in the mild and moderate ranges. Use the lists below as a general – but not complete – guide to the types of activities you might engage in for physical activity. As you become more active, you can try to work up to more challenging activities gradually.
Examples of Physical Activity by Intensity
| Least Intense | Description | Description | Most Intense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Cooking/ baking | Gardening/landscaping | Soccer |
| Sewing | Light cleaning (dusting) | Heavy cleaning (mopping) | Basketball |
| Typing | Walking slowly | Walking at a brisk pace | Running |
| Using the computer | Golfing (with a cart) | Golfing (without a cart) | Skiing |
| Watching TV | Playing musical instrument | Yoga or Tai Chi | Tennis |
| Writing | Slow dancing | Swimming slowly | Swimming vigorously |