Why Pushing Through the Pain Isn't a Good Idea

“No Pain, No Gain” is a well known mantra for many athletes but there is a point where pain becomes detrimental to your performance and pushing through it can cause serious and even permanent injury.  When you’re participating in sports or exercise programs, muscle soreness is to be expected, especially if you’re not used to the level of activity or intensity of a particular activity.  

There is a big difference between soreness and actual pain and it’s important that you know that difference and pay attention to it whenever you are working out or participating in sports of any kind. 

Knowing when to rest is as important as pushing yourself to succeed

How Can I tell The Difference Between Soreness and Pain?

Anyone who has started a new workout program or played a new sport can testify to being sore afterwards.  Sometimes that soreness is so intense it makes regular movements feel almost impossible.  Muscles that are sore from being used can even be sore to the touch, but what you will notice is a lessening of the soreness after a day or two and even through the soreness, movement is possible, albeit a little slower than normal.

You will also find that stretching and warming up will cause the soreness to dissipate and that you are able to work out again as soon as the next day. 

When an injury of some kind, whether minor or major, has occurred, there will be a sharp pain, either stabbing or constant that starts in one spot and shoots through the body, and sometimes a tearing or burning feeling in a specific area of the body that doesn’t seem to let up.   Certain movements will be impossible without a major increase in pain and in some cases won’t be achievable at all.  In addition, there will usually be an increase in pain as time goes on and swelling or tenderness that is above the usual soreness.

If you notice any kind of numbness or tingling in an area of the body, it could very well be a pinched nerve and continuing to work out or push through the pain could result in permanent nerve damage.

Continuing to work out or to participate in sports activities when a potential injury might be present can be very dangerous.  For example, a stress or minor fracture left untreated and pushed further can result in a complete bone break.

If you suspect that what you’re feeling is not just muscle soreness, it is always best to seek medical attention to rule out a potential serious injury.  Even though it may be difficult to skip those workouts or activities, by pushing through and ignoring real pain, you may be missing out on far more than a workout or game if there IS a real injury to contend with. Take the time to let it heal and you’ll be back at it in far less time than if you aggravate the injury and make it worse.

Ways to Minimize the Chance of Injury During Workouts and Sports Activities

Although there are no failsafe methods for preventing injury, there are things you can do to lessen the chance of injuring yourself during sports or work outs.  Warming up properly and stretching are two of the most important factors.  Muscles that are warm and stretched are far less likely to be injured than cold muscles.  Never just start a workout or sport without proper warm up.

In addition, staying properly hydrated, eating a well balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep and avoiding dangerous conditions while working out or participating in a sport will all reduce the chances of injury.  If you are a professional athlete, sometimes playing in less than ideal conditions cannot be avoided, so take all precautions you can to make your body as strong as possible. 

Proper form is another extremely important factor in avoiding injury. Make sure that you’re doing exercise movements properly, and using weight that isn’t in excess of what you can handle. This is not to imply that you cannot push yourself during a workout, but there is a big difference between pushing your limits a bit and loading yourself with a weight that will only cause you to hurt yourself.  The same rule applies to engaging in sports activities that you have never done before.  If you’re just learning, take the time to take it slow and learn the proper body placement, equipment and execution of the sport at hand.

Injuries can happen anyway, of course, but by adhering to these suggestions and using common sense, you can ensure that your work outs and sports activities remain a positive addition to your daily life.