How Do You Respond to Pain?
BeachLife Physio • 23 March 2022
How Do You Respond to Pain?
'Catastrophic misinterpretations of pain as being harmful may give rise to pain-related fear, which in turn can initiate avoidance behavior intended to avert bodily threat. When protective action serves to reduce genuine bodily threat, it is highly adaptive, but when pain persists beyond healing time and turns chronic, it may paradoxically increase suffering and disability' - Meulders (2019)
The Fear Avoidance Model shows how interpretation of pain can lead to disability and the continuation of pain.
Avoidance can be adaptive in the short term, but highly problematic in the long term. So starting with small and easy movements that you are comfortable with is a good first step in managing your pain.
Pain is defined as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage"- International Association For The Study of Pain
Pain often leads to inactivity or 'Rest', but is this best option?
During a consultation, we want to determine the factors that influence pain.
The way we respond to these factors and pain can affect our pain experience.
When pain persists beyond tissue healing times, An increase in negative moods, catastrophizing and fear of movement, can direct us towards an avoidance cycle and disability.
By learning about pain, setting valued life goals and progress movement, we can aim to get out of the avoidance cycle and towards recovery. However, identifying the avoidance strategies will challenge commonly held beliefs about pain and movement.
Don't fear movement, fear not moving!
With winter sports kicking off, adolescent growth conditions can show up fast. Here are a few of the most common growth-related issues we see this time of the year plus some safe and easy ways to help manage them! Why do they occur? Often growth spurts lead to muscle tightness and increased strain on bones and joints. Sports-related stress and repetitive movements increase risk, especially in high-impact activities. Recent research highlights the importance of early intervention and evidence-based practices to manage symptoms effectively. Knee conditions: Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Causes pain at the lower end of the kneecap and is more likely in sports with Frequent kneeling or jumping. Osgood-Schlatters Causes pain and swelling beneath the kneecap and is more likely in adolescents active in jumping and running sports. Sever's disease Affects the heel and often occurs during growth spurts in active children, especially in sports with high-impact movements. Pain usually worsens with activity and improves with rest. Education & Management Tips Rest, modification and gradual return to activity are essential for recovery. Stretching and strengthening exercises support muscle strength, flexibility and joint stability. Evidence-based practices emphasise personalised care plans and professional guidance for long-term outcomes.
Stop ACL injuries before they happen Did you know 70% of ACL tears are non-contact injuries? This means they often occur due to movement and loading issues rather than collisions. The good news is you can significantly reduce your risk with targeted training. Here are the three key principles: 1. Proprioception and Balance Training Improves body awareness and knee control Includes single-leg stability exercises Trains your nervous system to react protectively 2. Strength training Builds protective strength in glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps Should include eccentric loading exercises 3. Plyometrics and Agility Teaches safe landing mechanics Trains proper deceleration and cutting form Quality of movement always comes before quantity Pro tip: Prevention programs like FIFA 11 + have been shown to reduce ACL injuries by 50% Want sport-specific recommendations? Get in contact with us!
Compared to static stretching, hip and core exercises result in significantly lower incidence of lower limb injuries in runners. Stretching is perhaps the most utilised prep routine for runners worldwide, however in 2023 researchers looked at the difference between stretching and performing strengthening exercises for reducing injuries in these populations. Interestingly the exercises performed the best!
Top tips to protect your shoulders and reduce the risk of injury. Shoulder injuries are common in sports, especially those involving overhead movement, contact and a risk of falling. Follow these 5 tips to reduce the risk of injury: 1. Strengthen shoulders in all directions Push, pull, overhead and to the side 2.Improve shoulder stability in the positions needed for your sport 3.Ensure good thoracic spine mobility 4. Work on strength and control through the whole chain, including the core 5. Ensure good technique when performing your sport Want to know more? We can design an individualised exercise program to protect your shoulders! Book in now for an assessment of your shoulder mobility, strength and stability. Feel good, Move well, Perform better!
With the winter sports season approaching soon, now's the time to focus on injury prevention! Follow these simple but effective tips to keep muscles resilient and stay injury-free. 1. TRAIN Gradually expose muscles to increased load, speed and movements both in the gym and on the field 2. MANAGE Follow the 10% rule - avoid increasing weekly training volume or intensity by more than 10% 3. RECOVER Balance high-intensity sessions with rest and active recovery methods BE PROACTIVE Injury prevention isn't just about what you do in the gym, it's about how you manage load, recovery and training efficiency!
Got a headache that starts in your neck? It might be a cervicogenic headache - pain caused by issues in the neck muscles, joints, or nerves. Keep reading to learn more about symptoms, causes and relief! Symptoms: Pain usually starts at the back of the head or neck, often one-sided. It can spread to the forehead, temples or eyes. Common triggers: Poor posture Neck injury Stress Jaw clenching or Teeth grinding Sleeping position Treatment options: Soft tissue release Joint mobilisations Education re Ergonomics Neck and back strengthening Summary: If you experience consistent neck pain and headaches, speak to a healthcare professional!
Low back pain is the most common persistent pain condition globally, and it can be difficult to navigate the best treatment and management. Any exercise is known to be better than no exercise to reduce pain and disability, however if you're looking for specifics, this review concluded pilates, core-based and mind-body exercises to be the most effective in reducing pain. Have a read below. https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2022.10671?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
Tendon - Itis vs Opathy Tendinopathy is the same a what used to be called tendonitis. Itis = Inflammation Opathy =Pathology A loading issue It was found that inflammation wasn't the problem. But rather a lack of strength to handle the loading demands. So what to do? Pain comes when the tendon can't handle the demands placed on it. Get stronger to handle the demands better! Tendons need an active approach We like to say, "deload to reload!"
Shoulder pain is one of the most common issues we treat in the clinic. Here are some top tips we discuss regularly to get you performing better as quickly as possible! STRENGTH NOT LENGTH Up to 80% of shoulder pain can be linked to rotator cuff weakness/pathology DELOAD TO RELOAD Pull back on aggravating activities while you build your capacity up MOBILITY VS STABILITY Having all the range in the world won't matter if you can't control it TAKE CONTROL Shoulder pain affects how we perform our day to day tasks. Addressing it takes a conscious, direct effort
Did you know that as little as 9 minutes of exercise a day can reduce various pregnant related conditions by up to 25%!! Studies Show that physical activity throughout pregnancy can reduce the risk of the below conditions: Condition/mins of exercise Pre-eclampsia - 9min Gestational hypertension - 13min Gestational diabetes - 19min Post Natal depression - 22min Always consult with your health care provider prior to commencing exercise whilst pregnant!
