We've all heard the term "No pain, No gain!", but how true is this statement? I have been a sports chiropractor since 2010 and I am constantly telling athletes that pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. It's like the "check engine" light for your body. The more we ignore it, the worse the injury and dysfunction can become.
Let's say it's a muscle sprain/strain. Each muscle has a specific action in the body. Most muscles have antagonist and agonist muscles, that means while one muscle loads force, another one will relax. If we have a sprain/strain to a muscle then all that work with, or against, that muscle will have an effect which can then worsen the injury, or cause compensation in other areas.
Most athletes already have a competitive mindset, so a lot of times having an injury may only result in not being able to play their sport. However, most of the time it's better to stop playing all together, and seek proper care and treatment, than to cause more damage or aggravation of the injury. My goal is always to get athletes back to play as quickly as possible, given that we can properly treat their injuries.
Don't ignore your pain...Pain is not a lifestyle! - Dr. Lisa Patel, DC, CCSP
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