Aches and Pains 101

  Today was eye opening! I attended an exercise class in which the instructor literally said to push into pain! Shocking really, considering there were 30 some persons in the class and who knows how many musculoskeletal issues amongst us??? Sure gentle stretching is great and muscles working their hardest is great too! Many of us recognize this as a burning fatigue type discomfort that is brought on by healthy exercise exertion. But push into pain while getting into positions the body may never have seen before? The truth is that if you experience pain, most of the time, it is your bodies way of saying STOP! Listen to your body. There are few cases in which pushing into pain is beneficial. These instances do exist but need to be discussed with your doctor, therapist and a knowledgeable exercise instructor ASAP. In the meantime MODIFY MODIFY MODIFY! If you are unsure how then ASK. Better to be safe than sorry. Remember your exercise instructor can not read your mind so verbalize/demonstrate what you think your body needs. You know what feels good or healthy for your body. You know it best!!