Pacing (activity management)

Pacing is an activity management technique for managing a long-term health condition or disability which aims to maximize what a person can do while reducing or at least controlling any symptoms that restrict activity.Pacing is commonly used to help manage conditions that cause chronic pain or chronic fatigue.[1]:134

Aims

Pacing aims to manage symptoms by avoiding the common "boom and bust" cycle of the person exceeding their current limited ability, being forced to stop as a result of pain, fatigue or other symptoms, and then needing a large amount of rest before being able to do any activity.

Elements of pacing

There is no consensus about what elements are part of pacing.[1]:135Pacing typically involves:

  • planning activities in advance
  • taking regular rest breaks
  • prioritizing activities[2][3]

Uses

Pacing has been used to help manage a wide variety of different illnesses and disabilities, including neuromuscular diseases like Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT),[3] rheumatoid or immune-mediated diseases like rheumatoid arthritis,[2] juvenile arthritis and fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS).[1]

Outcomes

In many health conditions there are no clinical trials to establish the effectiveness of pacing.[1]:135

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See also

References

  1. Hakim, Alan J.; Keer, Rosemary J.; Grahame, Rodney (2010-09-15). Hypermobility, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN 978-0-7020-4993-4.
  2. Ryan, Sarah (2020-02-17). Nursing Older People with Arthritis and other Rheumatological Conditions. Springer Nature. p. 88. ISBN 978-3-030-18012-6.
  3. Stokes, Maria; Stack, Emma (2011-04-19). Physical Management for Neurological Conditions E-Book: [Formerly Physical Management in Neurological Rehabilitation E-Book]. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN 978-0-7020-4712-1.
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