Mindful Movement to Manage Pain and Anxiety

Neuroscience shows the clear benefits of a mindful awareness practice, but you don't need to sit still to still your mind

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Do you find it hard to be still? Research shows that mindfulness-based practices can play a promising role alleviating chronic pain and anxiety, but most traditional mindful exercises require participants sit still for extended periods of time, something that can be difficult for people suffering from physical pain or severe anxiety.

The Benefits of Mindfulness

The mindful state is “characterized by changes in neural activity that have been studied for over two decades in dozens of academic papers,” according to Chris Fields, consulting scientist and researcher at Tufts University studying physics, biology, and cognitive science.

“Different regions of the brain are activated when attending to the self, for example, versus the external world,” Mr. Fields said. “These differences are well-documented in the neuroscience literature.”

Multiple studies have highlighted the positive effects of mindfulness on physical and emotional health. Mindful awareness practices have been associated with improved cognitive resilience countering anxiety, depression, and stress, along with enhanced overall cognition. Noted improvements in cognitive control include better emotional regulation and an elevated mood, which also contributes to pain acceptance and pain tolerance.

The Neuroscience Behind Mindful Awareness

Studies comparing fMRI brain scans of individuals engaged in a mindfulness exercise with the brain scans of a control group showed that even a brief state of mindful awareness can significantly reduce perception of physical pain.

One suggested explanation of this mechanism is that the specific neural pathway for attention and mindfulness is shared with the final pathway for pain relief.

An additional study showed that participants who continued to engage in a mindful awareness practice for longer had significantly reduced activation of the amygdala, the brain structure that largely regulates feelings of aggression, anxiety, fear, and stress.

Moving Beyond Sitting Mindfulness Practices

Do you have to sit in a cross-legged position for hours like in some of these studies to access the calming and analgesic effects of mindful awareness? Mr. Fields said no—there are “many examples of activities that reliably induce focused and ‘fully present’ states.”

One easily accessible mindful movement combination is walking.

Steps to Incorporate a Walking Mindful Awareness Exercise

The purpose of a walking mindful awareness exercise isn’t to clear all thoughts, but rather to simply focus on the walk itself.

“During a walking mindful awareness practice, the goal is to be present and to remain connected to your body through observation of your the feet as they meet the ground,” James Kearns, a certified mindful awareness instructor, said. “This is an exercise designed to engage with clarity in the moment and to put space between you and an immediate emotional reaction.”

He recommends a three-step routine for a short and simple moving mindful awareness exercise.

1. Set a dedicated amount of time to be fully present, starting with two to five minutes. Find a place where you can remain safe and undistracted. Work with where you are.

2. Begin walking slowly and maintain a steady pace. Breathe normally.

3. Observe your footsteps. Notice a rhythm and bring all of your attention to the physical sensations as your feet contact the ground. This is your anchor. As you walk, consistently return your focus to your footsteps.

What if you lose focus or start thinking about something else? For walking mindful awareness, footsteps are used in place of a breath anchor. When you inevitably get distracted by thoughts, just go back to the footsteps.

You can add this exercise as a daily regimen, or you may choose to use your mindful walk as a tool for pain or anxiety management as needed. The more time you spend in this practice, the more beneficial it will be.