Listen to Your Body and It Won’t Betray You

We have been told that if there is no pain, there is no gain, and unfortunately this saying has been misinterpreted for too long. Of course there needs to be some level of discomfort for growth to occur, but it is also very important that you listen to your body and know your limits. Whether you weight lift, bike, run, play a sport, or horseback ride, knowing the difference between injury pain and growth pain is very important for your longevity. If you are worried that your pain may be stemming from an injury, be sure to contact OC Pain, the premier pain doctor in Orange County.

Factors That Can Cause Your Body to be Fatigued

Body fatigue is one of the most common reasons that injuries occur because it is our body’s natural way of telling us it’s time for a rest. Taking precautions is important, but so is listening to your body’s natural alerts. We all know that exerting energy will get your body fatigued, but what are some of the other external forces that we don’t think about that can contribute to your body’s need for rest and possible injury?

• Improper gear – whatever the sport or activity, having the proper gear, such as running shoes, cleats, straps, etc., will help your body from exerting more energy than it needs to.
• Dehydration – keeping your body hydrated is important because it is easy to forget to drink water when your schedule is busy or you are focused on other tasks.
• Sleep – getting a full night of restful sleep is important for your body to be at peak performance, and mitigate any risk of accidental injury from fatigue.
• Nutrition – eating healthy foods with the proper nutrients will aide in muscle recovery, so even if you are trying to lose weight, you need to properly satiate your body with useful food.
• Stretching – this part of the process can be quite boring, but it is imperative. Stretching out your muscles after going through hard work will make sure that they are less stiff and tight the next day.

What Signs to Look for

The hardest part of listening to your body is differentiating what is a pain signal and what is a discomfort signal. This is why learning your body’s response is important, and what symptoms are exclusive to injury pain. Once you know the signs to look for, it will make listening to your body much simpler.

• Joint pain lets you know when you are putting too much stress on an area that is important to the proper movement of your body.
• Swelling is a visual representation that your body may need a break.
• Weakness in your muscles or joints will let you know if your body is not up to the task.
• Reduced range of motion, even if something is not in pain, is a warning sign of a possible injury to come.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact OC Pain, your pain doctor in Orange County.

When it’s Time to Take a Break

Ultimately, at the first sign of pain is the time to take a break. Now that you’ve learned to listen to your body, you need to put that information to good use. Many people consider training through the pain, what is referred to as the “walk it off” method, but this is extremely counter-productive. If your goal is to maximize your performance, and get better over the long run, continuing to train while in pain will only take you further away from that goal. First, continuing to be active while in pain will further exacerbate the injury, causing a longer recovery time. Second, you may take a mild injury and turn it into a long lasting one that will forever plague you in the future. Finally, even if you are able to continue training while injured, the activity will never reach its peak performance because your body can’t handle it. Although it may seem frustrating to take some time to tend to your injury, that is the best way to keep your body safe. If you are suffering from pain, or need guidance on how to deal with an injury, contact OC Pain for the best pain doctor in Orange County.