“I am nearly 8 months post-op after a femoral osteotomy to correct my knee. One of my biggest challenges is trying to figure out if my knee hurts because it ‘should’ as part of my recovery—or if it hurts because my body isn’t used to this level of training after 7 months of not doing much. Can you help?”—Aaron
Sometimes, pain sends a clear signal to your brain that there’s tissue damage or danger. But when you’re recovering from an injury, those messages can get muddled, with an overactivated central nervous system firing off warnings even though there’s nothing structurally wrong. And emotional stress, so common among injured athletes, can make the pain feel even more intense.
As Coach Carrie explains in this week’s listener Q&A, one of the biggest challenges injured athletes face is telling the difference between pain that’s a normal part of recovery and sensations that mean you’re doing further damage.
Getting to the bottom of it is an individualized process that should involve your healthcare team. One thing many athletes find helpful is to enlist their physical therapist in writing a specific, personalized pain protocol—a way to plan what you might feel and how to react. Breathing exercises and soothing self-talk can also help reduce panic and tension, so you can make a clear, informed judgment about how to move forward.
Resources/links:
- Worksheets for Rebound, which include a pain log
A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 9 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! They’re the creators of the LEVER system, a portable, lightweight device that attaches to a treadmill to reduce your body weight. Use the code INJURED20 to get 20% off your purchase here.
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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.