Physical activity guidelines
Recommended activity is different from uptime, in that the goal here is to increase your heart rate and breathing. Recommended moderate to vigorous activity levels should be met in addition to your daily light activities that would be considered uptime. To begin, the goal is to figure out your current tolerance for activity and to gently increase your strength, fitness, and activity levels even though you have pain. Here are some recommended guidelines to work towards:
Recommended Activity Levels
Youth (12-17 years)
Aim for 60 minutes or more of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity each day. This should include exercises 3x/week that strengthen your muscles and bones.
Young Adults (18+)
Build up at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more. Include exercises that strengthen your muscles and bones 3x/week.
Examples of Moderate-Intensity Physical Activities (these should cause you to sweat a little and to breathe a little bit harder):
Skating
Bike riding
Brisk walking / jogging
Examples of Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activities (these should cause you to sweat and breathe more intensely):
Running
Rollerblading
Swimming
Cross country skiing
For people with persistent pain, standard exercise guidelines might seem overwhelming. Try starting with more gentle activities (see examples below). If you haven’t been active in a while, talk to your healthcare team about how to start an activity program.