Busting the Myth of “No Pain, No Gain”

The Consequences of Ignoring Pain

When it comes to training and working out, there’s a common misconception that more pain is equivalent to getting more significant muscle gain or other physical benefits. By following a “no pain, no gain” mindset during your fitness routine, you could be doing more harm than you may think. Here’s how pushing through the pain can cause injuries and aggravate your existing ones.

Common Overuse Injuries

When you ignore pain when working out or training, you could be putting yourself at risk of a severe injury. Pushing through the pain that is greater than a 3 on the pain scale of 1 to 10 could cause chronic damage. By paying attention to your pain level, you can avoid the following common overuse injuries:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrist
• Tennis elbow
• Golfer’s elbow
• Jumper’s knee
• Little league elbow
• Little league shoulder
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Runner’s knee
• Shin splints
• Tendonitis

It’s also essential to understand the difference between discomfort and pain. For example, the discomfort of sore muscles may feel more dull and tight, whereas muscle pain may feel sharper while you are exercising and when you are at rest.

Pains You Shouldn’t Ignore

If you are experiencing any of the following types of pain when exercising or doing any physical activity, don’t ignore them:

• Sharp pains
• Pain with swelling
• Pain that is localized
• Pain that gets worse as you continue physical activity
• A “pop” sound accompanied by pain

If you feel any intense or persistent pain, stop immediately and contact your sports medicine doctor to address the problem.

Dallas and Fort Worth Sports Medicine

When it comes to getting to the bottom of your pain when it comes to an injury, Methodist Sports Medicine can help get you back to peak performance. See the full list of services we offer or contact us today to make an appointment!