Practical ways to incorporate more movement

Bhamgirl

Bhamgirl

Peer Supporter
Hiya!

I have been struggling to implement the TMS changes this time around, specifically getting back to normal every day movement. I will be honest, the idea of working out scares me. Can anyone provide any practical steps on how to go about getting movement back into my daily life? I have guarded for so long that my back muscles are extremely tight and even the slightest movements feel like a rubber band about to snap. I assume graded exposure would be best, but I am unsure how to really go about doing that.

Also, a real basics question. As I was making my bed this morning, I had a very sharp sensation directly on my mid-spine. It was fleeting, but naturally it still scared me. Am I to believe that this is TMS? That these little zingers I get when bending are all TMS? I have an easier time when they aren't directly over the spine itself. This fear sure is a jerk.
 
@Bhamgirl
What you experience is very similar to what I experience. Your body is wound so tight, you will feel sensations from the restrictions at times, but it won’t last and I believe this is all part of TMS.
To be less guarded you need to work on your fear. Your mind will continue to try and keep you safe from fears like this and with “baby steps” as @BloodMoon calls it, you can overcome. Find safe movement and slowly increase your range.
Things I used were very basic Qui Gong: do what is comfortable on repeat without the intention to “fix” your body but with intention to soften your mind: like a moving meditation. Tanner Murtaugh on YouTube, a TMS psychologist has great practices to try. Short with guidance, reassuring.
Breathwork to soften anxiety. Your body can move subtly even in stillness.
Fun things like beanbag toss, badminton.
I have started the Pain Reprocessing Workbook and there is a lot of good work to deal with fear. Could be helpful!
 
If I'm sure what I'm experiencing is TMS, then I directly challenge it. While telling myself that the pain is a faulty signal and nothing is wrong with my body, I move into the painful movement and repeat it as much as I can. Usually it gets easier and eventually goes away. It's counterintuitive to move into pain, but it is the best way I know of to convince my unconscious that everything is fine. However, if you're not sure it's TMS, then it will just escalate your fear and you'd be better to use a gradual approach as described above.
 
Cactusflower said:
@Bhamgirl
What you experience is very similar to what I experience. Your body is wound so tight, you will feel sensations from the restrictions at times, but it won’t last and I believe this is all part of TMS.
To be less guarded you need to work on your fear. Your mind will continue to try and keep you safe from fears like this and with “baby steps” as @BloodMoon calls it, you can overcome. Find safe movement and slowly increase your range.
Things I used were very basic Qui Gong: do what is comfortable on repeat without the intention to “fix” your body but with intention to soften your mind: like a moving meditation. Tanner Murtaugh on YouTube, a TMS psychologist has great practices to try. Short with guidance, reassuring.
Breathwork to soften anxiety. Your body can move subtly even in stillness.
Fun things like beanbag toss, badminton.
I have started the Pain Reprocessing Workbook and there is a lot of good work to deal with fear. Could be helpful!
Click to expand...
@Cactusflower

I love Qui Gong, and I have seen Tanner a bit on socials. I will looks up his videos. I agree that I need to find more time to play and have fun. I used to love dancing around the kitchen while cooking, but I stopped doing that out of fear. Now, if I have a glass of wine that tends to loosen me up and then I crank the music! I will also look into that workbook. Thank you so much for the great recs!
 
Ellen said:
If I'm sure what I'm experiencing is TMS, then I directly challenge it. While telling myself that the pain is a faulty signal and nothing is wrong with my body, I move into the painful movement and repeat it as much as I can. Usually it gets easier and eventually goes away. It's counterintuitive to move into pain, but it is the best way I know of to convince my unconscious that everything is fine. However, if you're not sure it's TMS, then it will just escalate your fear and you'd be better to use a gradual approach as described above.
Click to expand...
@Ellen

Moving into the pain is something l have seen many say, and I don't know that my fear level at this point will allow me to do that. The fear of movement is a key hurdle for me, and that's why I expect a gradual approach may be best at this time. If not, my old athlete brain will go hardcore and set myself back. @JanAtheCPA I agree that a personal trainer may be the best route to take. My CBT therapist actually recommended a lady out of New Orleans who does telehealth rehab and she's very well versed in TMS/neuroplastic pain, so I will definitely reach out to her. Also, I believe I saw one of your old posts about Eddy Lindenstein and his Mind and Fitness podcast. I'm so glad I happened upon that as he has such a talent and is a great example of getting back into the gym and excelling!
 
Hi @Bhamgirl,
What helped me was stopping thinking of it as “working out” and instead treating it as little “movement snacks.” I attached tiny movements to things I was already doing: walking on the spot or stepping forwards and backwards while brushing my teeth, circling my shoulders while waiting for lunch to heat up, or doing gentle hip movements while standing in front of the TV. I’ve continued with this approach and made it part of my daily life—a good habit that helps me keep moving.

I added other movements to the TV routine over time. I now usually do two separate gentle movement-and-stretching sessions each day while watching TV, but I certainly did not start there.

When I first began, I could not stand for more than a few minutes at a time. I had been bedridden and housebound with my symptoms, so my starting point was simply getting up from my daybed and standing for a few minutes. I then introduced a little walking on the spot and built up from there. As @Cactusflower says, I took 'baby steps'.

I also began walking laps around my living room. At first, I did only a few laps and did not worry about whether I had done more or less than the day before or the previous week. These days, I use a handheld clicker counter to keep track, but I try to treat it as information rather than a target. There is no pressure for me to beat yesterday’s number, because that can make the brain and nervous system feel unsafe. I therefore avoid turning any of my movement into a performance target.

In the mornings, you could perhaps try small movements in bed, such as ankle or wrist circles and gentle side-to-side rocking, to ease yourself into the day. There are also YouTube videos and books about “bed yoga” and “movement snacks.” I bought a small book called Movement Snacks by Trisha Durham, which I found helpful. The author’s website has more information here: Move Snack 11.

Hope something I've said helps.
 
Bhamgirl said:
Can anyone provide any practical steps on how to go about getting movement back into my daily life? I have guarded for so long that my back muscles are extremely tight and even the slightest movements feel like a rubber band about to snap. I assume graded exposure would be best, but I am unsure how to really go about doing that.
Click to expand...

Hi! I think everything said above is great so I wouldn't have too much to add. What I will say is I think the best method is to build activity up in line with your belief.

As Dr Schubiner says "If you do too much too soon, the brain can exacerbate symptoms, and the result can be painful and demoralising" - pg. 275 Unlearn Your Pain (2026).

"Baby steps" (as a form of graded exposure) I definitely think is good, but if you're struggling with that too then I would put most of the focus back on your belief (I would take the pressure off when it comes to getting back to movement for now, plenty of time for that). In fact I would focus heavily on your belief regardless.

I would review your evidence list (in line with Dr Schubiner's FIT criteria) to re-assure yourself that you are safe and that there is nothing wrong with your body (this will help combat the fear around your back being like a rubber band). This should give you the confidence to begin, however small. I'd also reflect on what my larger doubts are in the TMS diagnosis and bring those into the light, to combat them.

Bhamgirl said:
Also, a real basics question. As I was making my bed this morning, I had a very sharp sensation directly on my mid-spine. It was fleeting, but naturally it still scared me. Am I to believe that this is TMS? That these little zingers I get when bending are all TMS? I have an easier time when they aren't directly over the spine itself. This fear sure is a jerk.
Click to expand...

The intensity of the sensation I would say yes is likely TMS - but what's likely happening is that your heightened and fearful brain is taking a normal sensation and cranking it up. So under non-fearful conditions, you may have felt something on your spine but it would have felt normal and like a non-issue - no different to if you feel a little tightness in your calf as you start walking or if you were to tap your hand on your opposite wrist. In both situations (both now with your fearful brain and in this hypothetical) it's probably a harmless thing like muscles gliding over each other or a stiff part of your spine loosening (that's even more likely given what you were doing at the time, bending and making the bed are more than capable of being handled by your spine, if you were powerlifting when this happened then I might have a different view), so in both cases the original sensation (as a message that is sent to the brain by sensory neurons) is the same, it's just that the brain is interpreting it differently, in one case through a lens of danger and in one case through a lens of safety. Remember that even though you feel it in your back, it's your brain that decides whether or not it hurts (as all pain comes from the brain - after it decides how to interpret the message from your body - and a big filter in making that decision is whether you believe you are damaged or not, which is why belief in the TMS diagnosis is important), and it can get it wrong.The brain also watches for your reaction to see whether it was correct to send the danger signal or not - fear and panic confirm that it was correct in doing so.

Hopefully that makes sense, happy to help further :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top