It’s natural to think that the more something hurts, the more damage there must be.
But pain and tissue damage aren’t always the same thing.
Pain is your body’s warning system
Pain is an important protective response. After an injury, it encourages us to protect an area while it recovers.
However, the amount of pain we experience doesn’t always match the amount of tissue damage.
A simple example is a paper cut. A small paper cut on your forearm might be mildly annoying, while a similar-sized cut on your lip or near your eye can be much more painful. The amount of tissue damage may be very similar, but because some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, the amount of pain you experience can be very different.
Pain is influenced by more than the injury
Pain can also be influenced by what else is happening in our lives.
Factors such as stress, poor sleep, fatigue, anxiety or being generally run down can make our nervous system more sensitive and can increase the amount of pain we experience.
This doesn’t mean the pain is “in your head”. The pain is very real. It simply highlights that pain is influenced by many factors – not just the amount of damage to a particular muscle, joint or other tissue.
Why can something still hurt after it has healed?
Sometimes pain continues even after the injured tissues have largely recovered.
Following an injury, the area – and our nervous system – can remain more sensitive than usual. Movements or activities that would normally be safe may still produce pain.
Again, this doesn’t necessarily mean you are continuing to damage the area.
This is one reason why gradually returning to movement, exercise and normal activity is often an important part of recovery. Over time, this can help restore strength, confidence and your body’s tolerance to activity.
Does that mean I should just push through pain?
Not necessarily.
New or worsening pain can still be a sign that something needs attention. Significant swelling, loss of movement or strength, pain following a new injury, or symptoms that aren’t improving should be properly assessed.
The key message is that pain doesn’t always equal damage.
Understanding why something hurts – and what you can safely continue doing – can be an important part of getting back to normal.
If you have persistent pain, a niggling injury or you’re unsure what activities are safe for you, it’s a good idea to seek advice from a health professional such as a physiotherapist. They can assess what’s going on and help guide you towards the right treatment and exercise plan.
