???♀????? You Can Be Strong and Manage Pain, or Weak and Endure It—The Choice is Yours ???????♀?
As we age, pain is something we all experience. But here's the thing—you can either be strong and manage that pain, or you can be weak and still face it.
The choice is yours.
One of my greatest passions is helping people discover the incredible benefits of resistance training. It’s not just about building muscle—it can improve metabolic health, reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and early death, and enhance bone health, body composition, and overall quality of life.
And here’s a game-changer: resistance training can actually reduce chronic pain.
However, all too often, when someone feels a little discomfort during a workout, the immediate response is to tell them to stop lifting weights or avoid exercises that load the spine. This advice is not just unhelpful—it’s harmful.
The reality is, the human body is incredibly resilient. You are far more capable than you may think. In fact, more than 50% of people over 30 have disc issues, like bulging or herniated discs, but experience no pain at all. Should we really be advising them to quit exercising?
Now, if you’re dealing with intense pain from an acute injury, it’s important to scale back or modify your training for a while to manage the pain. But the goal should always be to regain strength and build resilience once you're able to control the pain.
This is where seeing the right healthcare professional becomes crucial. While your GP is fantastic for general health concerns, a sports physician is the expert you want when it comes to injury and pain related to physical activity. Why?
Sports physicians have specialised knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and the demands exercise places on the body. They’re trained to accurately diagnose and treat injuries, taking a holistic approach to recovery. Rather than just addressing symptoms, they look at the bigger picture, considering your fitness goals and overall health to develop a tailored treatment plan that will get you back to doing what you love safely and effectively.
They can help you with everything from assessing movement patterns that may be contributing to pain, to recommending non-invasive treatments and rehabilitation exercises that can get you back on track.
Once you've had that initial consultation with a sports physician, working with a physiotherapist and personal trainer is the next step—especially if you haven’t had experience with resistance training before. A physiotherapist will help you recover from injury while improving mobility and flexibility, and a personal trainer can guide you through safe and effective resistance training tailored to your needs and abilities. This combination will not only get you back to training, but also ensure that you’re building strength and resilience in a way that supports your long-term health.
Telling people they should never do certain exercises again because of pain is not only irresponsible, it’s damaging. It perpetuates the false idea that our bodies are fragile. They’re not. In fact, even in older age, it’s completely possible to build muscle and increase strength, even for frail or elderly individuals.
So, if you’re experiencing pain, don’t just rely on general advice from your GP. See a sports physician who can help you address the root cause of your pain, develop a customised recovery plan, and guide you back to a stronger, more resilient version of yourself. Once that’s in place, a physiotherapist and personal trainer can ensure you’re moving forward safely and effectively.
Done properly, resistance training won’t just help you manage pain—it can help you reduce it.
Let’s stop the myth that if you have pain, lifting weights should be avoided. When done correctly, resistance training is one of the most effective ways to manage and even reduce pain.
?? Lisa xox