One in five Saskatchewan adults lives with chronic pain. Up to 60% of adults report that their pain makes it difficult to carry out daily activities. Chronic pain can negatively affect people physically, mentally, or socially.

Pain lasting longer than 3 months is chronic. Chronic pain can result from an injury, a disease like arthritis, or for no known reason. Physical activity is an effective non-drug strategy that can help people better manage chronic pain. Adults living with chronic pain who are active report many positive impacts. Examples include less fatigue, less pain intensity, and better abilities to do daily activities.

The Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines for adults are that some activity is better than no activity. When starting a physically active lifestyle, you don’t have to sweat or be so winded that you can’t talk when being active. All physical activity types and intensities matter. Break up the time you spend sitting, stand more, move more! Work up to doing 150 minutes or more each week of activities that make you sweat more and it difficult for you to talk. Doing activities that will strengthen your muscles 2 or more days each week is also recommended.

Out Active Living for Pain team aims to promote physically active lifestyles to help adults better manage their chronic pain.

Active Living for Pain seeks to promote active lifestyles to help individuals manage their pain. We work with community-based partner organizations and adults living with chronic pain to develop and offer sustainable, evidence-based programming for adults living with chronic pain. Our work is focused on identifying and addressing factors that help or prevent individuals from being physically active and managing their pain well.