Pacing

Pacing is the balance between rest and activities. This video describes pacing, provides tips on how to pace when living with an energy-limiting condition, and identifies some of the common barriers people may encounter when trying to successfully pace.

Access the written transcript and audio only for this video:

Access the whole video series:

This video was illustrated and edited by:
Laura Bassi @fisiocamera

The script was written and narrated by:
Darren Brown, Physiotherapist, UK

This video received consultation by:
Lindsay Skipper, Long COVID Physio Peer Support Committee, Physiotherapist UK

Prof Todd Davenport, Chair Long COVID Physio, Workell Foundation and Department of Physical Therapy, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA

Dr Julia Moore Vogel, Scripps Research, USA

Prof Leonard Jason, Director of Center for Community Research and Professor of Psychology, DePaul University, USA

Lisa McCorkell, Co-Founder Patient Led Research Collaborative, USA

Helen Skiffington, Long COVID Physio AHP Committee, Occupational Therapist, UK

Ciara Breen, Long COVID Physio AHP Committee, Occupational Therapist, Ireland

Dr Michelle Bull, Co-Founder PhysiosForME, Physiotherapist, UK

Sammie McFarland, CEO and Founder Long Covid Kids, UK

This video was peer-reviewed by Long COVID Physio Leadership Team.

[ATJScream]

One of the few videos that acknowledges that systems outside of a person's control can affect one's ability to take care of themself was really validating to hear and emphasizing interdependence is very healing

[alliee]

This is one of the best videos about pacing I've ever seen. I've lived with ME for over 20 years and had to figure a lot of this out for myself as a teenager and young adult. I'm very happy to see resources like this widely available online to help support people with Long Covid as well as many other illnesses.

[kimberly-abriefongrief]

Prioritizing the 'fun ones' and sources of Joy is KEY to this, and to happiness and pleasure in Life as a whole! 🥰 Joy is ALWAYS on the top of my 'to do list'! Pacing / balancing activity and rest is part of the natural cycles needed by our body to functional properly. We are all a part of Nature and made up of the same things our natural world is - as nature functions in cycles of night/day, the seasons, the tides etc, so do we! We too NEED to run in balanced cycles like Nature to maintain healthy, or to restore health🥰 Let's toss out society's unhealthy rules about what is 'productive' or 'good', and make our own healthier, balanced rules for living and thriving in the life!!

[tamiamatthews]

Awesome video thanks for I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue also chronic pain!!!! Soft hugs for my fellow warriors

[mayneats]

Well said and well done. Thank you for providing a relatable and easily understood explanation to help as well as advocate for those suffering with LC or ME. 🙏🏼

[tamrat]

Had to watch with an eye covering 💙🤩🤕 So on point!!

[David-Hope]

Excellent, thank you - pacing is a simple idea but it really does work - one of the key things to understand if you have LC, probably THE key thing.

[TaleenVezina]

This is also wonderful advice for those with Dystonia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Cancer patients...the list can be very long.
Thank you! 🌻

[pivrehal]

It’s helpful that you’ve explained pacing in such a simple way - but please acknowledge that progress is also possible with pacing. It is not just about limiting your life, it is about expanding your life and eventually making a full recovery.

[orfamayQ]

Thank you, but one little thing: The sound effects are quite painful (and I'm not super sensitive to sound). I think more severely affected patients will not be able to watch/listen to the video. Maybe put a warning somewhere that those are more targeted towards care-takers and HCWs?

Or a hint to mute the sounds and just activate the subtitles could make the video more accessible for some.

[tracyb]

This is a great video that explains simply what is pacing. It also addresses many of the different nuances and facets and perspectives. Pacing can be a simple word, but it is anything but.

[Vicky-jjpv]

I have ME and this is a great video to help me explain what I mean to close one’s, when I mention Pacing. Thank you

[rachela]

"Trust your instincts" can be bad advice. Pacing oy works for me bc it means going against my instinct to exert myself. If I wait until my instincts tell me to rest, then I have alreasy exceeded my energy envelope, and may have a serious crash

[Flobyby]

Hello! The video is incredibly helpful and clear. Not so surprisingly it is helpful for swapping out a taxing conversation with a ready made explanation.

I notice the generated subtitles work very well in English but the automatic translation can be poor in places (I tested for French). Would you be interested in me providing translated subtitles for this video in French?

[susanne-k]

Könnt ihr das Video auch auf deutsch aufnehmen und teilen?