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3 Exercises for Better Pain Relief

3 Exercises for Better Pain Relief (1:05)

When chronic pain flares, gentle exercise is a great painkiller. In this Health Smarts video, fitness expert, Mike Clark, DPT, explains how exercise releases endorphins for natural pain relief and shares the 3 best workouts to try.

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Hi, I'm Dr. Mike Clark with a surprising pain relieve tip for you. If you have any type of chronic pain, exercise might be the last thing you feel like doing, but it pays to move. Workouts can encourage your body to release endorphins which acts as natural painkillers. Regular exercise also helps you manage your weight.

This also is helpful because extra pounds tend to aggravate the pain. Here are three options, lower impact aerobic workouts. In one study people with knee asteoarthritis who participated in a walking program felt less pain after eight weeks. Stretching, studies have found that yoga and Tai-Chi can enhance your flexibility and range your motion to sooth pain.

Resistance training, these workouts build joints supporting muscles to reduce chronic pain. They include weights, resistance bands, water exercises or even your own body weight. Talk to your doctor to find out the best activities for you. For more ways to live healthy, watch all our tips right here.