Once you’ve found a starting point for an activity, the next step is building on it, a little at a time. Small, steady increases help your body and nervous system adjust, so you can do more of what matters to you. And if pain gets louder along the way, knowing what to do keeps you moving forward.

Small steps work best

Your nervous system adjusts gradually. Increasing by small amounts gives it time to get used to each new level. Many people find that adding around 10% at a time works well. For a 15-minute walk, that’s an extra minute or two.

Build by plan, not by pain

A useful idea is to follow your plan rather than how pain feels on the day. That means sticking to your planned amount on good days without adding more, and increasing only when your current level has felt manageable for a week or so.

When pain gets louder as you build

Some extra discomfort is normal as you do more. A helpful guide is that it should settle back to your usual level within an hour or so, or by the next day. If it does, you’re on track.

If it doesn’t settle, that’s not a failure. It simply means the step was a little too big. You could:

• Go back to your previous level for a few days.
• Try a smaller increase next time, like 5% instead of 10%.
• Check whether something else has added to your load, like poor sleep or a stressful week.

Setbacks are part of the process

Progress rarely moves in a straight line. Most people have a few steps back along the way. What matters is the overall direction over several weeks.

Celebrating progress

Looking back at where you started, and noticing what you can do now, can be really motivating. Your VIDA pain check-ins can help you see how things have shifted.

Something to try this week

If your starting point has felt manageable for a week, add about 10% to it. If pain doesn’t settle within a day, go back a step and try a smaller increase.

What to take away

• Build up in small steps, around 10% at a time.
• Follow your plan, not how pain feels on the day.
• If pain doesn’t settle within a day, go back a step and try a smaller increase.
• Setbacks are a normal part of building up.

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