LIES, LIES, LIES….No Pain, No Gain

It is the BIGGEST LIE on the PLANET

As a coach, instructor and trainer, I cringe each time I hear this phrase.  Sure, it is supposed to be motivational in nature in a feeble attempt to get the short-changing types to push the limits outside of their comfort zone.  HOWEVER, the competitive, the insecure, the one-uppers, the weak, the weak-minded, the deconditioned and everyone else in between HEARS this and feels compelled to PUSH themselves through the pain, only creating the HIGH PROBABILITY for injury and possibly long-term debility.

What is PAIN?

Pain is your body telling you that something is in need of repair.  PERIOD.

Notice, I didn’t say pain is something horribly wrong and you will die in the next 10 seconds nor did I say pain means stop what you are doing altogether.  I simply said PAIN is your body telling you something is not right.  You may need to stop what you are doing or simply modify what you are doing. You may even need to get something checked out by a medical physician.

For example, if I trip and fall and experience extreme nauseating pain in my forearm, do I tell myself “NO PAIN, NO GAIN…buck it up, buttercup”?  There are some, I’m really sorry but IDIOTS, who would proclaim this mantra.  Usually, it is the male-centric personality purporting this methodology.  Me, I would be thinking “sprain? strain? break?” and would likely contact a medical facility immediately.

On the other hand, performing an exercise that leaves you in PAIN doesn’t necessarily mean that particular exercise isn’t for you.  You may have worked an entirely NEW muscle group or your body may not be READY for that which you are doing.  You may be working through the limitations of scar tissue or you may be overexerting your joints.

Sharp intense pain, like “OUCH THAT HURTS”, is very different from “WHOA THIS IS REALLY DIFFICULT AND BURNS”.  Pain a few days after a workout may indicate a significant level of lactic acid in the muscles, thereby limiting one’s ability to move normally.  Debilitating pain a few days after a certain workout or particular exercise that prevents you from getting out of bed and creates that nauseating painful cryogenic – like sensation (anyone who has ever had a herniated or ruptured disc in their spine knows what I’m talking about) is something altogether DIFFERENT and denotes the high probability of an injury.

Pain doesn’t result in gains.

So many variables contribute to what brings you the pain, but it is all pointing to small injuries or greater injuries often preceded by the big bad inflammation monster.

INFLAMMATION is the predecessor, or beginning, to all pain.  Inflammation is the process that begins when damage occurs.

Inflammation can occur when new muscles are worked or overworked.  Inflammation can occur when you cut your finger.  Inflammation can occur when you have an infection.  Inflammation is often the unknown variable that occurs prior to that feeling of “my knees hurt”, which if left unattended to, eventually leads to serious injury, pain and possibly surgery.

I just want to get it out there….I am a STRONG ADVOCATE (barring medical emergency) that the LEAST INVASIVE measure possible produce the best long-term results.  As an orthotist and working in physical therapy, I cannot count the number of individuals who have opted for premature surgery only to find they were worse off 1, 2 and even 10 years later!

MOST people think of inflammation as red, swollen, angry, hot and painful, however, this is far from the case in that inflammation can be unseen and internal.

There are in reality, two types of inflammation:  acute and chronic

ACUTE inflammation is a normal and necessary response to injury.

CHRONIC inflammation is a long-term condition that is associated with SERIOUS ILLNESS AND DISEASE such as CANCER, HEART DISEASE, OBESITY, DIABETES and ARTHRITIS.  Think of Alzheimer’s disease and the fact it begins with inflammation of the brain.

If you get rid of inflammation, you get rid of PAIN.  Why?

Because inflammation is triggered by a hormone-like substance and inflammation stays because of an inflammatory enzyme in the body.  To control either of these actually controls inflammation, therefore controlling things like CANCER, HEART DISEASE, OBESITY, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS and even ALZHEIMERS/DEMENTIA.

There are chemically derived drugs that help with inflammation, however they have side effects, especially with LONG-TERM USAGE.  An example would be asprin, which has PROVED to have lower incidents of CANCER in those who take it long term.  The negative to this long term use is the potential for stomach ulcers and leaking blood vessels, possibly leading to death.  Over 40,000 people die EACH YEAR for overuse of asprin type medications and anti-inflammatory drugs such as Naproxin and Motrin.

Many studies have found the combination of Curcumin, AKBA (a specific type of boswellic acid), DLPA (also known as dl-phenylalanine…NOT phenylalanine which is found in chemically processed sweeteners and breaks down to a toxic substance) and Nattokinase create an almost IMMEDIATE inflammation and pain relief action and have none of the side effects common drugs have.

Many people in the health world have heard of curcumin, a highly valuable part of the naturally potent anti-inflammatory/pain reliever.  Curcumin is found in TUMERIC ROOT, but the root is comprised of only around 5% or less of the good stuff so you would have to consume a HUGE amount of root powder to get a beneficial amount and even then you would not reap the benefits because it isn’t HOW MUCH YOU TAKE of something, it is HOW MUCH IS ACTUALLY ABSORBED!

The combination of these four natural ingredients, curcumin, AKBA, DLPA and nattokinase, is not only purported to relieve inflammation, but it activates the “FEEL GOOD” brain chemicals such as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, it PREVENTS the breakdown of one of the essential pain killer substances in the brain, it serves as a transport to carry the anti-inflammation substances to their NEEDED area (specific joint, muscle, etc.) and reduces fibrinogen, which causes that STIFF MUSCLE FEELING upon waking and standing, that over time, damages muscle and joints.

No PAIN, No GAIN is a horrible lie so many have been conditioned to believe.  We hear coaches tell their secondary education level athletes this lie.  We hear gym coaches perpetuate this lie.  We hear people claiming “man” status if you engage in this lie.

Pain, if not addressed, has the high probability of leading to problems as we age.  I see this every day when I listen to people talk about themselves or their loved ones in terms of how they “USE TO” be active, but due of their knees, back, elbow, etc. they are no longer enjoying a life of activity.  This “USE TO” is most often used hand in hand with justifications as to why they are no longer active, including being on tons of chemical medications, chronic pain and chronic disease and injury.

Age is not an indication of activity.  It simply means we are at higher risk of injury if we do not pay attention to our individualized needs, specifically the inflammation and pain signals our body are sending us.

Don’t perpetuate the lie.  PAIN MEANS NO GAINS and it is our body warning us of not so good things to come.  Listen.