Exercise to heal your skin
Exercise is essential when it comes to healing from skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) as it moves the lymphatic system and regulates the immune system. However, one of the biggest complaints I hear is that exercise induces sweating and heat, which irritates the skin. Let’s discuss how to exercise properly to speed up the healing of your skin.
Adapt the exercises or physical activities that you do depending on the severity of your skin condition.
Categorize your skin condition into one of the following categories: severe, moderate, or mild
SEVERE:
90-100% of your body is affected
Your skin burns, oozes, bleeds, and swells
You are in constant pain
Focus on the following two areas of exercise
Basic Movement Exercises
These include exercises such as range of motion exercises, stretching, yoga, tai chi, Qi gong, etc.
These are exercises that do not require you to exert much effort while still moving your lymphatic system
Walking
Going on slow easy walks is a great way to get the blood flowing without working up a sweat
moderate:
Large patches of inflamed skin
Skin maybe be itchy or dry but is manageable
Focus on increasing heart rate
Aerobic exercises
Include aerobic exercises that you can tolerate
Examples include walking, cycling, jumping rope, dancing, etc.
Resistance training
Include resistance exercises to keep your muscles and bones healthy
Examples include lifting weights or bodyweight exercises such as push ups and squats
Avoid sensitive areas
Be mindful of which body parts are affected and work around those areas
For example, if you have bad eczema behind your knees, maybe stay away from running or cycling as the friction during the physical activity can irritate the area
MILD:
90-99% healed but cannot seem to fully heal
Flare ups come and go
Focus on BEING CONSISTENT
Do physical activities that you love
It does not really matter what physical activities you do at this stage. Just be consistent
Try to push yourself but remember to listen to your body
