The comic Henny Youngman (1906-1998) coined the famous joke where the patient complains to the doctor, “Doc, it hurts when I do that.” To which the doctor replies “Well, don’t do that.”
Active people who exercise regularly will certainly relate to that joke, but pain is a very real and not a very funny topic to those who endure it. But pain is the body’s way to communicate that something is not right and whatever activity is causing the pain should be identified and sometimes stopped.
The good news is that pain can be managed and here are six good ways to keep your pain at a tolerable level while still maintaining your active workout schedule:
1. The first tip is that pain is not all bad and usually very temporary. So... get your recovery game strong! Rest well, hydrate well, eat better and manage your stress.
2. The next tip is in the “don’t do that” category as in don’t stop exercising. Some people feeling some discomfort after exercise may be tempted to halt their exercise regimen completely and “rest-up” for an extended period. Rest may be recommended for a muscle or ligament injury like a sprained ankle (see the next tip) but not for “run of the mill” aches. You worked hard to gain the benefits of the exercise and stopping completely can set you back “big time”.
3. If you break your leg, heed your doctor’s advice and be prepared to deal with an “itchy” cast that will torment you worse than any pain. Less severe injuries like a sprained ankle will, unfortunately, require some rest from strenuous activities and regress to gentle movements until pain becomes more tolerable. Find what exercise you can do without the pain aggravating and do it. There will always be an alternative exercise that you can do while recovering from the injury. Movement is key!
4. As soon as possible ease back into your program at a level you are comfortable with. Don’t be overaggressive in reaching your pre-injury levels but build up gradually. The time to get back to 100% will vary so be flexible with your program. Increase your load incrementally or ease up a bit depending on what your body is telling you via those pain signals from your brain.
5. Taking painkiller has been shown to be only useful during the acute or early stage. If you keep taking painkillers, you are only masking the problem and not actually solving it. Find out what's wrong and how to correct that.
6. The sixth and final tip is to realize that unless you are an expert in matters of pain management, musculoskeletal injury or have a degree in physical education, then you will want to consult with a reputable professional to keep yourself in top shape and help you deal with any pain management issues brought on by an overzealous workout or even an injury.
Whatsapp +673-8782752 to address any questions or concerns about how to manage your pain.