30/04/2026
PAIN CAUSES WEAKNESS: WEAKNESS PERPETUATES PAIN.
There are 2 main parts to getting weaker: 1) the loss of neuro drive, the activation of the muscles from the brain through the nerves and 2) the break down of muscle mass from a lack of stimulation and inadequate nutrition. After the age of 35, it is much easier to lose muscle than to build it. This is especially true when we are in pain. When we are in pain we tend to stop moving, to protect the injured area. Unfortunately, the lack of movement means the muscles are getting less activation from the brain and weakness ensues. Even just visualizing a movement helps to maintain and improve neuro drive, coordination and muscles health.
The weaker the muscles around a joint become the harder it is to maintain good joint alignment, stability and movement, perpetuating a downward spiral of pain and disability. After the age of 60 you lose 1% of your muscle mass per year. The rate of loss increases the older you get. If you are bed ridden the rate of whole body muscle loss is much worse. The longer you stay in bed the harder it is to get out of bed and rebuild muscle mass and endurance. Therefore, with any injury you are advised to minimize bed rest to 2 days or less.
There is a logical progression of rebuilding muscle mass and strength.
1) Isometric muscle contractions: if you are in pain, activate the muscle without changing the length of the muscle or bending the joint. You can engage muscles without moving joints. You can even do isometric exercises while lying in bed. For knee pain, contract the quad muscles for a few seconds then relax for a few seconds. Gradually increase the duration of the contraction. Try for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. This is a great initial exercise for anyone with knee pain. The next step is to contract and relax the muscles through a bigger range of motion with concentric and eccentric contractions.
2) Concentric muscle contractions: activate the muscles from a long to a shortened position. Like a biceps curl. Bend the elbow and approximate the hand towards the shoulder 10 times with a pause between sets. Do 3 sets of 10 reps. If you can do 3 sets of 10 reps, feel free to increase the load slightly. Concentric contraction exercises are great for improving stability. If you have weak ankle, knee or shoulder joints or are hyper mobile concentric contractions should be your "go to" exercises.
3) Eccentric muscles contractions: activate the muscle while moving from a short to a lengthened position. The classic example is doing calf raises with your forefoot on the edge of a step. Raise up on the toes by taking the weight on both calves but go down as far as you can on one calf at a time. This is the best type of exercise to increase the length and strength of a muscle. If you are stiff and feel that you need to stretch every day you would most likely be better off if you added some eccentric contraction exercises into your exercise routine.
If you are in pain or unsure about what type of exercises you should be doing for your body parts, come in for a consult. I can help you to get out of pain and prescribe appropriate exercises. I do a combination of exercises depending on my goals and pain levels. Strength is often a better marker of longevity than blood tests. If you want to improve your health, longevity and manage your pain better, improve your strength. Being pain free, however, does not mean that you are strong for health and longevity purposes. You need strength tests and that is the topic for another newsletter.
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