In our two previous blog posts we discussed what inflammation is, when it can be to our advantage, and also when it can be to our disadvantage. Additionally, we discussed how and why chronic inflammation occurs in the first place. As promised in our previous posts, we are now moving into discussing the many ways to address chronic inflammation. As a reminder, chronic inflammation is an immune reaction that lingers and starts to work against us, delaying our ability to heal. Long-term inflammation lasting months and years can also unfortunately lead to a multitude of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Thankfully, there are many known ways to help the human body manage chronic inflammation!

The first strategy for addressing chronic inflammation we will discuss is physical activity. No shock that as physical therapists we are big advocates of this one! It may seem obvious to some or possibly counterintuitive to others that physical activity helps decrease overall inflammation. Many people assume that rest is the only option to cope with nagging joint pain, bodily aches, or other signs of inflammation. Though in some cases rest may be needed, most of the time movement can help decrease pain and inflammation. And in contrast, rest and being sedentary may actually make pain and inflammation worse!

Chances are very high that you’ve come across social media posts or articles on the dozens of benefits of exercise including improving cardiovascular health and mood, to name two. But how is it even possible that exercise, an activity that causes you to exert a significant amount of effort (requiring your heart to work overtime, and often results in delayed onset muscle soreness that causes you to hobble the next day) could actually reduce your overall inflammatory levels?

Exercise in and of itself puts our bodies under physiological stress whether we are running around a track or lifting weights. The effort of exercise causes the body to release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to help speed up the heart and make fuel sources more readily available to match the demands of the exercise. Yes, these are the same “fight or flight” hormones of our sympathetic nervous system that are often spoken very poorly of. Additionally, as we are pushing ourselves to the limit on the treadmill or trying to lift even more weight in a bench press, our muscles create waste compounds including free radicals which are known to damage DNA. So, again you might ask yourself how can physical activity actually be good for our overall health and inflammatory levels? The answer lies within the body’s response to exercise in order to repair itself. This ultimately results in a net gain to improve overall health.

Our body shifts toward a phase of repair and restore after we stop exercising; you can think of exercise as a jump-start. During this post-exercise repair cycle, our body switches from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest,” which allows our heart rate to decrease, and cortisol and adrenaline levels to lower. With this process, an anti-inflammatory response unfolds and the body produces a wave of antioxidants to combat the free radicals released during exercise. All of this after-exercise repair activity not only restores us back to baseline, but can also lead to benefit.

Specifically for inflammation, while we are actively engaging in exercise, our body and muscles initiate an inflammatory response which then in turn stimulates the body to respond with an even stronger anti-inflammatory response. This causes an end result of lower baseline levels of inflammation among those who are physically active. Some of the specific ways in which exercise reduces inflammation include:

1. Reducing adipose tissue (fat tissue): Excess fat tissue produces inflammatory cytokines, so exercise can help reduce chronic inflammation by reducing fat tissue and improving metabolic function.
2. Improving insulin sensitivity: Insulin resistance and high blood sugar can contribute to chronic inflammation. Exercise can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. Exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity by stimulating muscles to uptake glucose in the bloodstream.
3. Increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines: Exercise can increase the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, which can help reduce chronic inflammation.
4. Improving gut health: Exercise can help improve gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome is important for reducing inflammation.
5. Reducing oxidative stress: Exercise can increase the production of antioxidants, which can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.

As you may know there are so many ways to exercise from powerlifting to yoga, pilates, dancing, martial arts, cycling, running, kickboxing, HIIT classes, or swimming, to name just a few. So, what type of exercise and what exercise duration has the best impact on reducing chronic inflammation? Some studies have found that regular bouts of just 20 minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise can have positive effects in managing inflammation. Beyond just managing inflammation, getting a combination of regular cardiovascular exercise and some resistance training tends to provide the greatest benefit to all of our body systems. Overall, the important thing is to remain active – ideally while doing something you enjoy!

In summary, regular exercise can help reduce chronic inflammation and improve overall health by stimulating the body to respond and adapt. It’s important to choose an exercise routine that is appropriate for your fitness level and health status and to consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program. At Beacon PT, we are here to support you in your physical activity or exercise!

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