Living with Chronic Pain and It's Effect on ADLs

Anyone who suffers with chronic pain knows there are changes that have to be made in their lives to accomplish the most common tasks most of us take for granted. These activities are commonly referred to as ADLs or Activities of Daily Living. These include areas such as walking, eating, bathing and personal care, shopping, childcare, housekeeping, working, just to name a few. Basically, anything that requires physical exertion to accomplish. We all have these and many more tasks to do each day. We do so without thinking about the muscles, tendons, ligaments involved for our bodies to produce the finished products.

I know you've heard of weekend warrior syndrome. You do too much in a short period of time and overtax all your body. You're sore and in pain for 2-3 days afterwards. You adjust your activities for a few days and you recover, good  as new. But, what if you had weekend warrior syndrome all the time? That's what life with chronic pain is like, but never goes away.

So, how does a chronic pain sufferer get through ADLs each day? Very carefully. First an assessment is done to determine the ability of the body to accomplish tasks without causing further injury. Then, steps are taken to adapt the environment to the persons' ability. The person learns how to adjust their approach to their life, keeping in mind what they CAN do, not what they CAN'T. It may take a bit longer, or they may need an assistive device. These may be as simple as a cane or walker, inserts in shoes to make walking easier, or placing a stool in front of the range when cooking to relieve stress on the back.

In my next blog, I'll go into more depth in the different areas of ADLs and some of the resources available to chronic pain sufferers. ADLs are profoundly affected in chronic pain conditions. When you are unable to do the most basic tasks for yourself, it directly affects a persons' self worth and attitude. It is extremely important to address this issue as quickly as possible when recognized. It will give better life quality and more independence to each person, thereby adding to their overall wellbeing.