Injury Isn’t Always One Big Moment - It’s the Overflow That Breaks the Dam
When someone comes in with pain - especially back, hip, or knee pain—they often blame one specific instance or are looking for something they did wrong. Most expect it was one moment: a twist, a lift, a run gone bad. But let’s get real, here’s the truth...
Most injuries don’t happen in an instant. They build up over time, until your body can't keep compensating.
Imagine your body as a dam holding back water (stress). Each drop of stress (poor sleep/ recovery, poor hydration, poor diet/ nutrition, mental burnout, emotional distress, life stressors) in addition to physical impairments such as limited mobility and or decreased strength with repetitive movements slowly fills up that dam.
Our bodies are smart. We adapt. We cope with the extra stress as best as we can. Eventually, maybe after a “harmless” move that you have done many times before, like reaching, running, lifting, or sneezing, it becomes the final stressor and the dam breaks.
That’s when you feel pain. But the real problem is that the overflow started long before the dam broke.
Here’s what could be contributing:
Lack of recovery (poor sleep, nutrition, hydration)
Mental/emotional stress (stress ramps up pain perception & we hold stress in different areas)
Repetitive movements without proper cross training to support our activity demands
Old injuries that were never fully addressed
Deconditioning or overload without adequate preparation (too much, too quick)
Here’s what you should do what you have an acute injury:
Instead of focusing only on the final straw that “hurt your body”, take a look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself, what has your body been trying to compensate for?
Take better steps in controlling what is in your control:
Prioritize sleep
Work on stress management at work/ home
Hydrate well
Focus on your nutrition, trying to avoid inflammatory foods
Visualize recovery, our brains are powerful & the mental aspect plays a bigger role than you think
MOVE: movement is your friend with injuries. Find movements that feel good, maybe this is walking, maybe it’s getting in a pool. Reach out to your PT or myself to figure out what you should be doing right away to feel better quicker.
Understand that pain is your body reaching out to you requesting a change! It’s not a punishment for one mistake.
