If You’re In Pain, Move!
That might sound backwards.
But if you’ve been dealing with lingering pain—shoulder, back, knee, neck, ankle—and your default strategy has been to rest and wait it out… you might be making it worse.
The Problem
Pain is frustrating. And scary. So most people do what feels safest:
They stop moving.
They brace.
They ice.
They wait.
But here’s the truth no one tells you: Too much rest can actually keep you in pain.
I see this every week in coaching and the clinic.
One client I worked with hurt her shoulder in February. She stopped using it, wore a brace, skipped workouts, and avoided anything that felt uncomfortable. By the time she started physical therapy three months later, it still hurt—and now it barely moved.
Why?
Because she hadn’t used it. Not even a little.
Pain creates fear. Fear leads to rest. And too much rest keeps the pain alive.
Why “Motion is Lotion” Isn’t Just a Saying—It’s Physiology
We say it all the time in rehab and strength coaching: Motion is lotion.
Here’s why:
✅ Movement increases circulation
Blood flow brings nutrients, oxygen, and healing compounds to the tissues.
✅ Movement lubricates your joints
Synovial fluid only circulates when the joint moves. Stillness dries it out. Motion keeps it mobile.
✅ Movement desensitizes your nervous system
When you stop using an area, your brain becomes more sensitive to pain. Even light movement can start to feel threatening. But when you ease back in with the right movement, your brain begins to chill out. It realizes: “Hey… this is safe.”
Passive rest, on the other hand?
Shrinks muscles
Tightens joints
Increases pain sensitivity
The longer you rest, the harder it is to return!
The Pain Scale Rule (and When to Modify)
Now—let me be clear:
I’m not telling you to push through sharp, stabbing, or tear-inducing pain. That’s not smart, and it’s not what I do with my clients.
But here’s the rule of thumb I do give them:
✅ Stay within a 5 out of 10 on the pain scale or lower
✅ If movement feels better as you go, you’re likely on the right track
✅ If it gets worse as you go (or lingers after), modify or scale it back
Pain isn’t always a sign of damage. Sometimes, it’s just a protective overreaction.
But with the right movements, in the right dose, you can break the loop—and get your life back.
What This Actually Looks Like
Here are three safe, effective starter movements for each common problem area. You don’t need to be perfect. Just start.
🧠 Neck Pain
Chin tucks (lying or standing)
Upper trap/scalene stretch
Shoulder blade squeezes
🏹 Shoulder Pain
Wall slides
Standing scaptions
Stick-assisted overhead reach (lying down)
🪑 Low Back Pain
Figure four stretch
Single or double knees-to-chest
Hamstring stretch
🦵 Knee Pain
Quad sets
Seated leg extensions (no weight)
Wall sits or arm-assisted squats
🦶 Foot/Ankle Pain
Ankle alphabet
Toe curls with a towel
Seated heel raises
And if you don’t know what these are?
Copy and paste them into YouTube or Google. I’d link them for you myself—but I’ve got to go deadlift in 10 minutes and ain’t got time for that!
Bottom Line
If you’ve been stuck in the pain-rest-repeat loop… it’s time for a smarter plan.
You don’t need to “push through” sharp pain.
You don’t need to stay on the couch waiting for it to go away.
You do need to move—intelligently, consistently, and safely.
Because your body isn’t broken. It’s just out of practice.
That’s where coaching comes in.
I help clients rebuild strength, move without fear, and take control of their body again—whether they’re coming off injury, stuck in long-term pain, or just scared to start.
👉 Click here to learn more about coaching
Or shoot me a message and I’ll help you figure out the safest place to begin!
Best,
John
P.S. I asked Chat GPT to create a dramatic portrait of me using some specific prompts from an AI news email… and the result? Somehow both eerily accurate and deeply unsettling. Cool tech—creepy vibes.
3 Steps You Can Take
Apply for coaching - If you’re ready to start, you can fill out a coaching application here (it takes 90 seconds or less). Best case, you change your life. Worst case, I’ll help you draw up a road map to get closer to your goals.
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Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.
