22/02/2026
Something I have learned as I age is to listen to my body...
Listening to my body rarely means STOP 🛑 It usually means, adapt, modify or become more active in caring for my body day to day (mobility, nutrition, quality movement, etc.)
Yet when I speak to friends, clients, strangers, fitness buddies...As soon as pain is felt the initial response is usually fear and rest. "If I don't stop, I'll injure myself more"
It's a knee-jerk reaction to pain that many of us have because we don't want to turn that pain into a permanent injury.
My thoughts, and they are only that, based on the years of experience with both my own body and being entrusted with the bodies of others, is, STOP 🛑 can sometimes be the answer BUT it rarely is.
The answer is usually to check in with yourself, your body, your nutrition, your sleep patterns, pillows, seating position, activity levels, joint mobility and FIGURE OUT - WHERE is that pain coming from, then ACTIVELY work on those areas with strength & mobility.
🚑 Back pain - Have you checked your ankle, knees, hips, tib, calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, glutes, erectors, etc.,?
🚑 Shoulder pain - Have you checked your cervicals, scapular/shoulder rotation, delt, pectorals, serratus, traps, lats, jaw, etc., ?
What happens when we JUST STOP without checking in with our body or ignore the warning signs of a gentle pull or restriction in mobility (e.g., twinge in back, tightness when going from sit to stand, reduced mobility at the ankle) is that this 'alert' we're getting from our body often intensifies, becoming pain that needs to be addressed with more depth.
Something that may take days to address in the 'alert' stages may now take months to address in the "hello...I'm here, can you hear me screaming at you" stage... I still don't recommend stopping completely, letting your body become weaker and more immobile until a 'scream' becomes an 'outright siren' 🚨🚨🚨 but I do recommend if you made it to the scream/siren stage that you see a professional who is focused on keeping you active during recovery so you maintain the best of both worlds.
Moving forward into recovery without fear of further pain, and also maintaining the physical and mental strength that you have been working towards.
Of course, this advice is not intended to replace your GP, physio, EP advice and does not consider your personal circumstances, so please consult your health care provider with any concerns you may have - Bel
