Pain is a complex and normal experience in response to what the brain judges to be threatening. Our brain takes our current emotional state and past memories into account when analysing incoming sensory information. The unpleasant feeling of pain is the product of the brain\u2019s analysis. Its purpose is to avoid serious injury and to prevent us from exceeding our limits by detecting “risky behavior.” Pain often forces us to adopt protective behaviors. These can occur voluntarily or involuntarily.<\/p>\n
The intensity of pain and its unpleasantness are not necessarily good indicators of the severity of the injury. Past experiences, emotional context and the nature of the events surrounding the painful experience can all influence the intensity of pain. For example, a rugby player could fracture his wrist while playing his sport and only realize it after the game; in the same dat, that same player could have felt an intense and immediate pain from something as small as a paper cut.<\/p>\n
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Perhaps you\u2019ve experienced pain in your lower back after sitting for a long time. Maybe you\u2019ve felt neck pain while reading, or knee pain from trying out a new sport. These pains are very real, however they aren\u2019t necessarily a good indication of tissue damage. They are a warning sign, alerting us to the potential for injury to the area. The feeling of pain or discomfort tells us that we are approaching our body\u2019s limit and that we must change or make an adjustment. When pain continues into the next day it may be an indication that we have already surpassed our body\u2019s ability to handle that load.<\/p>\n
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Pain changes our body\u2019s motor response. We subconsciously change the way we move when experiencing pain, to protect ourselves and avoid overloading the painful area. Repeating a faulty movement pattern consequently places the body at even greater risk of developing further tissue damage.<\/p>\n
When pain persists, waiting is not always the best solution.\u00a0The right dose of activities and education about the condition are the keys to promoting optimal healing.\u00a0It is therefore wise to consult\u00a0a physiotherapist sooner rather than later to adequately manage the initial injury. Recognizing faulty movement patterns immediately and changing how we perceive our pain can speed up the recovery process and reduce our chances of developing a chronic problem. Our body and brain have a good memory!<\/p>\n
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Pain is a complex and normal experience in response to what the brain judges to be threatening. Our brain takes our current emotional state and […]<\/p>\n