Your brain is a marvelous organ.
Your brain will keep you safe, protect you and guide you through life. The one thing our brain cannot do however is distinguish the difference between real or not real.
When it comes to pain, whether it is real or anticipated, it looks the same to your brain. Whether you are in danger or imagining it, it looks the same to your brain. If you injured yourself in flexion (forward bend), your brain will remember the pain and avoid that movement in future, unless you retrain your brain to understand that the movement itself is safe. In otherwords, if the threat of pain (physical or emotional) is real or not real, your brain will always respond as if it were real.
There are two phases of pain.
1. The first is the acute phase of the injury. Inflammation and nerve injury are present in the body due to a fall, impact, surgery, muscle strain.
2. The second is called “SENSITIZED CENTRAL ALARM”. This occurs if we don’t heal 100% by dealing with the injured tissue AND trauma of the incident (retraining of the nervous system). The acute phase turns into a continued pain with movement, lack of movement or even the thought of moving a certain way.
Over time, the pain will persist and even spread. However, when we get scans done, the tissue diagnoses no longer fits the body’s response (ie: there is no inflammation). At this stage, our brain is no longer receiving accurate information about what is happening in the tissues. The pain becomes more general to the area and we become less connected with that area of our body so when we move, we are unclear of whether something is hurting or not and naturally start to clench the muscles to protect.
Protective movement patterns are established (such as limping, not using an arm and overusing the other), that can create further problems, pain and/or injury in our body. This is when we feel like “our body is falling apart” because one ache turns into two, which turns into four.
When I work with clients who have pain, injury, anxiety or chronic conditions, I know, if I can get the nervous system to relax and feel safe, then the client will begin to heal. Following are the steps taken to help our client become free from pain:
1. The client will receive education on the process of pain and the healing cycle. The more we understand about the process and our body, the more we can think and move with clarity.
2. Teach in progressions. Once the client has mastered the most simple progression we add small pieces at a time so success if experienced at each step (I can do that! That feels good!).
3. Create a calm environment and ensure the client is comfortable and feels safe. Teach proper breathing to keep the brain/nervous system calm and focussed. There may be times when we will request the client come in for their sessions when the Studio is quieter to avoid excess stimulation.
If you or someone you know fits this profile, then come in and see us. Begin with private sessions and learn that life is in your control.
Have a great week!
Linda Mallard
Tags: coaching, Diet & Nutrition, Fitness, health, linda mallard, motivation, Pilates, pilates ladner, pilates rehabilitation, pilates south delta, pilates tsawwassen, tsawwassen wellness centre
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