ADAPTING EXERCISE for Chronic Fatigue

By Susie Black - get free updates of new articles here

This article series is designed to offer hints and tips for adapting your Pilates moves to suit common aches and pains. To be clear, this is a series on making long term issues more bearable so you can continue to stay fit - not a series on causes, prevention or treatment.

Today we're covering a range of conditions which, while very different, require similar adaptations. Fibromyalgia, Long Covid and Chronic Fatigue are all conditions which affect energy and pain levels. They can lead to will-sapping degrees of exhaustion which can be felt during activity or even up to 3 days afterwards. This makes it hard to plan and commit to building up fitness levels as the feeling of 'backsliding' is mentally straining, the choice of activity can be limited and the effects of overdoing things can be unpredictable. In addition to the physical restraints linked to these conditions, research is steadily uncovering the ways in which mental and emotional strain can further impede energy levels and clarity of thought.

Pain Points and how to adapt

Tiring quickly or the inability to predict how much is too much wreaks havoc with routine building. Sometimes a full hour of even the gentlest class will not be possible. At other times, a sudden increase in energy will have to be reined-in to prevent burnout over the following days.

1. Maintain simple activity records: Keep a very simple guide of your energy expenditure so you can link effects to causes. This will make it easier to plan for greater energy expenditure. We use anything from simple sticker charts to more detailed resources like the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale developed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

2. Try to maintain routines where possible: If an hour of exercise is unlikely to work for you, consider building a daily 10-15 minute window for movement or self care. Choose from relaxation speeches, meditation, mobility and stretching until the routine is established and build more effortful activities in as and when they feel achievable. The on-demand Pilates subscription is perfect for this because it has a favourites folder just for you. You can preload this folder with suitable short sessions which reduces the mental effort spent choosing activities and allows you to get moving within three clicks.

3. Be aware of the cost of mental loads: A challenging conversation, a problem at work or a even surprise party can add to the load. Be kind to yourself.

4. Be ready to progress. Just because something has felt impossible in the past doesn't mean this won't change. When you're ready to try graduated exercise to build your fitness, seek out a coach with experience working with these conditions so they understand the ebb and flow.