No Pain, No Gain???
Why that fall from ten years ago may still be impacting you today
American culture has traditionally rewarded a "no pain, no gain" mentality in fitness. We idolize athletes who finish races with broken legs and tape our kids' sprained ankles so they can "get back in the game."
Don't get me wrong, there is something so magnetic, and mesmerizing, and mentally rewarding about fighting through some level of pain to accomplish a goal. I used to pride myself on rushing through injury rehab processes to get back into sports competition.
Unfortunately, while we praise this in our culture, it often has long-lasting effects, no matter how much we try to ignore it.
While that hip injury may react well right now to a shot of cortisone mixed with some good old American grit, you may be doing more damage than you think if you resume the same activities. That hip pain will likely cause compensation patterns. That compensation pattern may lead to knee pain, and back pain, and hip surgery.
That small pain right now, could likely be rectified through a strategic, holistic rehab program that both rehabilitates and retrains your body to handle the demands of your active lifestyle.
So, the next time you get injured or if you have chronic pain that seems to come back consistently, understand that there are more effective and longterm strategies out there than just "toughing it through" the pain. Your future body will thank you.
Written by: Kimberly Boulos, Prenatal & Postpartum Performance Trainer and Birth Doula at Femme Natale PDX.