Fitness
6 Tips for managing pain in the age of COVID-19
The fact that non-essential or non-emergency medical services continue to be limited and some surgeries are being postponed, the options for pain management may seem scant.

It’s the perfect time to pause and take a look at how daily life during a pandemic can impact our health, especially for those living with chronic pain.
That’s why therapeutic at-home massager manufacturer Wahl interviewed board-certified anesthesiologist and pain specialist Dr. Anita Gupta for tips on managing pain during the age of COVID-19.
“The fact that non-essential or non-emergency medical services continue to be limited and some surgeries are being postponed, the options for pain management may seem scant,” explains Dr. Gupta. “Managing pain on the best day is a challenge — managing it through COVID-19 can seem like a Herculean effort.”
Thankfully, according to Dr. Gupta there is hope. While she insists it’s important to check with your doctor for guidance on treating your specific condition, she offers the following pain-relief ideas:
1. Ease stress by staying positive.
Stress and anxiety from the pandemic can increase your body’s sensitivity to pain, but by learning to take control of stress you may find significant relief from stubborn symptoms. Focusing on self-care, staying positive and being active, can lift your mood and make pain symptoms more tolerable. For example, there are specially designed sounds and music for guided meditation that provide a form of mental escape and help add peace to your life. Many of these guided meditations are easily accessible online and are often free. It involves creating images in your mind that lead to passive muscle relaxation.
2. Improve your health with daily exercise.
Being active for 30 minutes a day can boost your overall health, and can be done at home with a variety of online videos. Exercise improves pain symptoms by releasing natural endorphins, which improve your temperament while also blocking pain. In addition, daily exercise will strengthen muscles, prevent re-injury, help maintain weight, control blood sugar and lower the risk of heart disease — all of which decrease pain symptoms. Remember, however, to first talk with your doctor about finding an exercise routine that is right for you.
3. Get an at-home massager for pain relief.
Since COVID-19 has made going to a massage therapist challenging, try using an at-home massager for pain relief. Massage relieves muscle tension and decreases inflammation by activating genes that naturally reduce swelling. Hand-held massagers are an excellent option for maintaining a massage regimen during the pandemic as they can be used in the comfort of your home.
4. Practice good sleep hygiene.
Sleep aids in pain relief; however, sleep can be unattainable because of pain symptoms. Thankfully, there are ways to help break this frustrating cycle. One idea, cut back on alcohol and caffeine as both inhibit restorative sleep. Another way to get your sleep back on track is by sticking to a schedule, this involves following a relaxing bedtime routine at the same time every night.
5. Connect with a virtual support group.
Joining a virtual support group, and sharing your feelings with people who understand your pain struggles will help you feel less alone. It’s also a way to find the strength and encouragement you need to tackle daily challenges. What’s more, you may learn tips on how to manage your pain symptoms from people who’ve been through it. If sharing with others isn’t your thing, there are a number of mental health resource apps available. In fact, some are even free during the pandemic because so many people are feeling overwhelmed.
6. Stay in touch with your doctor.
If your doctor has a pain management plan for you, make sure you stick with it. Patients often stop taking prescribed medications or don’t follow through with a plan of care, which can deter the plan’s benefits. If you’re unsure of your plan, have questions, or are experiencing any side effects, talk to your doctor – many have made check-ins easier during the pandemic by offering telemedicine and video appointments. Another idea is to start a pain log. By tracking your pain levels and activities every day, your doctor can create a care plan that works best with your lifestyle.
“Now, more than ever, prioritizing your health is crucial,” continued Dr. Gupta. “The above tips are just some of the ways you can improve your physical well-being, and find the strength to better navigate the daily challenges of living with chronic pain in the age of COVID-19.”
To learn more about pain management tips and tools visit WahlUSA.com.
Fitness
Treatment options to help overcome knee pain for sports enthusiasts
“Sports-related pain should be evaluated quickly, especially when it’s difficult to put weight on the knee, swelling occurs or there is restricted range of motion,” said Dr. Alexander Meininger, orthopedic surgeon and MACI consultant.

Millions of people experience chronic pain, with knee pain among the most common. Athletes and active adults know the impact activities like running and skiing can have on their knees, but when chronic knee pain makes it difficult to do those activities, or even day-to-day tasks like walking up the stairs, people may often face challenges.
According to the journal “Cartilage,” unlike other tissues, cartilage does not repair itself and, without proper treatment, can worsen over time and become more difficult to treat. However, options like FDA-approved knee cartilage repair surgery MACI (autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane) uses a patient’s cells to help repair cartilage defects and may help alleviate knee pain.
“Sports-related pain should be evaluated quickly, especially when it’s difficult to put weight on the knee, swelling occurs or there is restricted range of motion,” said Dr. Alexander Meininger, orthopedic surgeon and MACI consultant.
Justin Keys, a former patient of Meininger and avid skier, knows that the long-term outcomes of knee cartilage surgery can be worth the short-term sacrifices. After several injuries, including an ACL injury, Keys struggled with most activities except walking on flat, paved surfaces. After consulting with Meininger, Keys chose knee cartilage repair to help get back to his active lifestyle.
Keys considered whether to manage the injury as-is or choose MACI and undergo rehabilitation to potentially get back to his favorite activities in the future. He knew he could no longer use short-term relief methods and had to address his pain with a treatment to help provide lasting relief.
For athletes like Keys who want to fix knee pain, it’s important to consider these steps:
Discuss Options with Your Doctor
Patients should talk to their doctors and undergo an MRI to help assess the internal structures of the knee. Meininger recommends patients and their doctors discuss options for long-term knee restoration health, preserving function for future decades and recognizing the short-term sacrifice.
Set Yourself Up for Success
Experts like Meininger suggest patients take steps ahead of surgery to help their recovery.
“The important thing is to be as fit as possible and use the preseason months to undergo surgery and rehab,” Meininger said.
Patients can take steps to prep their home for recovery, which may include:
- Bringing necessities down from hard-to-reach shelves
- Moving furniture to ensure clear pathways
- Installing shower safety handles to minimize potential falls
The Road to Rehab and Recovery
Rehabilitation takes time and everyone’s experience is unique. It can be as much of a mental challenge as it is physical. Committing to a physical therapy regime, staying hydrated and eating well are important aspects to support recovery. Patients should talk to their doctors with questions and before starting any exercises.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not use if you are allergic to antibiotics such as gentamicin or materials from cow or pig; have severe osteoarthritis of the knee, other severe inflammatory conditions, infections or inflammation in the bone joint and other surrounding tissue or blood clotting conditions; had knee surgery in the past 6 months, not including surgery for obtaining a cartilage biopsy or a surgical procedure to prepare your knee for a MACI implant; or cannot follow a rehabilitation program post-surgery.
Fitness
6 Exercise safety tips
Now, as social restrictions ease, you may find yourself stepping up your workouts, whether you’re training for an event or working to improve your game in a recreational league.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are more aware of their health and wellness. Now, as social restrictions ease, you may find yourself stepping up your workouts, whether you’re training for an event or working to improve your game in a recreational league.
Sprains, strains and injuries can happen to even the most seasoned athletes. When you’re testing your limits, even a minor injury can alter your performance. Consider products and supports like these from the CURAD Performance Series product line, available at Walmart and Amazon, to help you get back in the game quickly and safely.
Find more resources to support your fitness journey at CURAD.com.
Keep Dirt and Germs Away
The more active you are, the harder it can be to find a bandage that stays with you all day or all game long.
Spray Away Sore Spots
Controlling mild pain can help keep you at the top of your game, and a topical analgesic works fast to heal common pain brought on by fitness and exercise, such as pain in knees, feet, shoulders and backs.
Put Pain in the Past
When recovery becomes the name of the game and pain relief is needed after daily workouts or bodily injuries. Cold packs work to heal bruises, reduce swelling and relieve headaches and general pain points while microwavable heat packs provide satisfying heat therapy to address sore and stiff joints, muscle cramps and tension.
Reduce Impact of Knee Strain
Weak, injured or arthritic knees can come from many sources, including tendonitis and a wide range of conditions that result in strain or overuse. An adjustable band can provide support for on-field sports and during workouts or everyday activities.
Manage Pain and Relieve Pressure
If you participate in endurance and strength exercises or certain sports, you may ask a lot of your joints. Kinesiology tape can be configured a multitude of ways to help reduce pain and improve blood circulation, as well as relieve tension and pressure.
Control Back Strain
When your back is strained, your body and performance can suffer. A mild or moderate sprain can benefit from strong support and compression.
Fitness
Exercise can provide relief for dry, itchy eyes
A significant increase in tear secretion and tear film stability after participating in aerobic exercise can be another remedy for relieving dry, itchy eyes.

A team led by researchers from the University of Waterloo discovered that a significant increase in tear secretion and tear film stability after participating in aerobic exercise can be another remedy for relieving dry, itchy eyes.
Every time we blink, our eyes are covered in tear film—an essential protective coating necessary for maintaining healthy ocular function. Healthy tear film comprises three layers–oil, water, and mucin–that work together to hydrate the ocular surface and protect against infection-causing irritants like dust or dirt.
When any part of the tear film becomes unstable, the ocular surface can develop dry spots, causing eye symptoms like itchiness or stinging and burning sensations.
“With so much of our activity tied to screen usage, dry eye symptoms are becoming increasingly common,” said Heinz Otchere, a PhD candidate in vision science at Waterloo. “Instead of having to use eye drops or other alternative treatments, our study aimed to determine if remaining physically active can be an effective preventative measure against dryness.”
Fifty-two participants were divided into two groups—athlete and non-athlete—to participate in an exercise session. Participants in the athlete group exercised at least five times per week, while non-athlete participants exercised no more than once per week. Researchers, which included experts from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, performed visual examinations before and five minutes after each exercise session, where tear secretion and tear break-up time were assessed.
While participants in the athlete group showed the largest increase, Otchere says all participants experienced a meaningful boost in tear quantity and tear film stability after the exercise session.
“It can be challenging for people to regularly exercise when the demand is there to work increasingly longer hours in front of screens,” Otchere said. “However, our findings show physical activity can be really important for not just our overall well-being, but for our ocular health too.”
The study, Differential effect of maximal incremental treadmill exercise on tear secretion and tear film stability in athletes and non-athletes, was co-authored by Otchere, the University of Cape Coast’s Samuel Abokyi, Sekyere Nyamaah, and Michael Ntodie, and Ghana’s Our Lady of Grace Hospital’s Yaw Osei Akoto. It was recently published in the Experimental Eye Research journal.
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