Don't Chase the Pain:

I attended a seminar with a top physical therapist this weekend, and one of the things he talked about was pain and movement dysfunction. His point was that where it hurts isn't necessarily where the problem is.

For example, low back pain can be coming from other places that refer pain to the low back, such as the muscles of the hips. Rotator cuff problems may be caused by lack of stability for the shoulderblade, and/or lack of mobility for the thoracic spine - the area between the neck and low back.

Something like plantarfasciitis, an inflammation of the arch of the foot, might have to do with triggerpoints in the calf muscles. Triggerpoints are areas of tension in the muscles that can refer pain to other areas. Triggerpoints can serve as a warning sign of muscles that are out of balance or overused.

This seminar looked at movement patterns as a way to predict future injury in an athlete or exercise client. Another point was that lack of pain doesn't mean that everything is alright. If a joint lacks pain but doesn't move properly, it could lead to an injury down the road, as other joints compensate by moving farther than intended.

That the person is injured but doesn't know it yet - an injury waiting to happen. Overall, it was a great weekend with many top trainers, therapists, and coaches.

It all gets down to prevention, trying to prevent something from happening in the first place instead of trying to fix it after it broke down. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it!

If you are someone dealing with a current or past injury, make sure your doctor or therapist isn't just chasing the pain, instead of searching for the cause.