Pacing
Pacing
When experiencing persistent symptoms, we might notice that certain activities can make them worse. This can lead us to avoid those activities to protect ourselves. Although this can feel helpful in the short term, the long term impact can be a reduction in our physical fitness. Over time this leaves us able to do less and can make our symptoms worse.
Alternatively, we may be tempted to push ourselves to do as much as possible on good days. This can then result in "payback", where our symptoms get worse and we take a longer time to recover. This pattern is known as "boom and bust".
Pacing is about finding a balance between these two approaches. Rather than doing so much that we get payback, or doing so little that we lose fitness, pacing is about doing just enough. By practising pacing in the same way over time, we are able to build strength and fitness and therefore do more in the long run.
Worksheet 3.1a - Getting To Your Baseline