Three reasons why you might be in pain
In this post I wanted to suggest 3 reasons why you might be in pain and what you can do about it - whether that’s your lower back, hips, knees or shoulders!
The pain you are experiencing is a result of an injury, where there is tissue damage to the body. The brain is producing pain to prevent you moving the area in order to protect it and allow healing to happen.
In this case, rest is important, but not for too long! A clinician should be able to advise you about when to start gently mobilising an area.
Depending on the type of tissue damage, healing should be complete 3-6 months after an injury.
So why does it still hurt?
Or what if you have pain symptoms but can’t remember ever having an injury?
2. There could be something going on elsewhere in the body that might be putting the body in a different position than where it “likes” to be.
I’ve moved away from thinking about “imbalances” in the body as it implies we are supposed to be symmetrical beings. Many people, including elite athletes, have what one might call “imbalances” and experience no pain or other issues.
However it is essential to understand how the body is functioning as a whole integrated system.
It could be worth consulting a movement specialist (such as myself!) - to have a look at how you are moving and what movement you are doing already. Often just introducing some new movement patterns or a regular short practice can help mange pain symptoms.
3. The third and least-considered factor is the possibility of psychological or social factors creating a “sensitised nervous system” - causing the brain to produce a pain response when there is no longer any need to protect the area.
Have a think about what was going on in your life when the pain started. Was there anything stressful going on at work? At home? And what is going on in your life now? Can you spot any correlations between pain flare ups and life events?
I really recommend taking notes or starting a journal so you can start to notice these things, work out what is within your control, and make some changes!
I hope some of these points gave you some food for thought. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, shoot me a message here.
I’m currently taking on new clients for my Motion Beyond Pain programme - 12 focussed weeks designed for persistent pain sufferers who are fed up of trying to get fixed and want to learn to fix themselves! More info here.