| We've all heard this expression. But is it true? | | | | of the hip, and then required her to have a total hip |
| This motto was first aired in 1982, when actress | | | | replacement surgery. Not a very pleasant experience. |
| Jane Fonda produced a series of workout videos | | | | In fact, joint pain is never normal. Pain is like the red |
| (you know the ones!), in which she used phrases like | | | | light on your dashboard, telling you when something is |
| "No pain, no gain," and "Feel the burn" to encourage | | | | going wrong & needs attention. If your engine |
| her fat-burning viewers to work harder during | | | | was overheating, would you keep on driving? Would |
| exercise. And it's still used today. Thousands of | | | | stomping on the accelerator solve the problem? |
| personal trainers repeat this mantra to their clients | | | | We have a simple pain rule for our patients, called |
| daily, reminding them that there is no meaningful | | | | the "Rule of 3". Following this rule can help you avoid |
| reward without sacrifice. | | | | injury during exercise or everyday life. Here's how it |
| There's only one problem. Pushing yourself through | | | | works: |
| pain can be dangerous. Just ask Tiger Woods. Rather | | | | The Rule of 3 |
| than take some time off & rehab the cartilage | | | | During any activity, rate your pain on a scale of 0 - |
| injury in his knee, he decided to keep on playing | | | | 10, where "0" is no pain, and "10" is the worst pain |
| "through the pain". You can see him clutching his knee | | | | you've ever experienced in your life. As long as you |
| in agony after this unwise decision. | | | | keep your pain rating at 3/10 or lower, you're almost |
| Here's another example. A young woman came in to | | | | always safe. If your pain reaches levels of 4/10 or |
| our office with pain in her right hip. She had been | | | | higher, either modify the activity to bring it down to |
| training to run a marathon, and her speed and | | | | a "3" or lower, or simply stop the activity. (NOTE: |
| endurance were improving nicely. Out of the blue, her | | | | This rule does NOT apply to "exercise discomfort" -- |
| hip started hurting when she ran -- even during the | | | | the burning feeling in muscles from straining during |
| first few steps. The pain progressively worsened, | | | | exercise.) |
| eventually preventing her from running at all. | | | | And, if you find yourself having to modify or |
| Her doctor had told her that she had a tendinitis in | | | | eliminate activities on a regular basis, it's time for you |
| her hip, and said she should be fine after a little | | | | to meet with a qualified health professional. Pain that |
| stretching, rest & ice. That didn't seem to help. | | | | occurs routinely, or pain that becomes more frequent |
| After performing an exam & x-ray of her hip, | | | | or severe, is a sign that some underlying problem |
| we suspected a stress fracture. An MRI confirmed | | | | needs to be corrected. And with many conditions, |
| this. Less than two months of rehab later, we had | | | | the sooner you get the proper treatment, the easier |
| her running again, and her hip was healthy. | | | | it is to correct. |
| Here's the take-home point. If this young woman had | | | | So, let's change the old saying, "No pain, no gain" to a |
| followed the "No pain, no gain" theory and continued | | | | new one. It's safer, it's more comfortable, and it's an |
| to run, she could have developed avascular necrosis | | | | easier motto to live by: "No pain, no pain!". Listen to |
| of the hip, which could lead to a catastrophic fracture | | | | your body -- it knows what it needs! |