Handy Tip: Move Smart, Assess as You Go
Heidi Clarke
When time is limited, it can be tricky to guide clients or patients on how to assess how they feel about movement.
A simple, tangible worksheet may help some clients track patterns in how movement affects them – especially if they struggle with pacing.
Using a 0–10 pain scale to rate physical discomfort before, during, and after exercise can provide helpful insights. Noticing changes in pain – especially if it increases by more than 2 points or lingers afterward – may suggest the current level of activity or load is too much. In that case, adjusting structure or reviewing pacing strategies can help.
Alongside pain, it’s useful to check in with the nervous system – look out for:
- Breath: Is it calm and steady, or shallow and rapid?
- Heart rate: Is your heart racing without a clear physical cause?
- Mental state: Do you feel grounded and alert, or anxious and edgy?
- Muscle tension: Are your shoulders, jaw, or hands clenched?
If signs of sympathetic nervous system dominance (fight or flight) are present, pacing strategies – such as slower movements, more frequent rest, grounding techniques, or breath work – may help support regulation, either before or during exercise, especially if the activity tends to increase these symptoms.
Ideally, clients or patients should finish exercise feeling calm, in control, and physically steady – not overstimulated or overwhelmed.
Tracking both pain and nervous system responses builds a clearer picture of how the body responds to movement, helping clients recognise potential patterns or ‘cause and effect’. Building on these insights through reflection – whether in conversation or using a worksheet – can support more confident pacing, greater independence, and long-term resilience in activity.
