Week 1 - Understanding and Managing Pain

Pain is your body’s internal warning system that something has changed. When we feel pain, our brain must interpret what it means—just like when a smoke alarm goes off in your home. Is it just burnt toast? A flat battery? Or a real fire?

Pain can also have many causes:

  • Is something in the body injured?
  • Are we at risk of injury?
  • Are we just fatigued?
  • Are we stressed?
  • Is the pain expected or unexpected?

Understanding what your pain is trying to tell you helps you respond appropriately—and not automatically assume the worst.

New Exercise and Pain

When you start a new form of exercise—or significantly increase your current exercise load—it’s normal to experience some soreness while your body adapts.

One common type of exercise-related pain is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). It typically appears 24–48 hours after exercise and can last a few days. If you’ve ever gone on a long hike, you’ll likely remember that stiff, sore feeling in your thighs and calves afterward.

DOMS is not harmful. It’s a sign your muscles have worked hard and are responding to the challenge, just like the mild symptoms you might get after a flu vaccine show your immune system is responding. Your body gets stronger by adapting to these stressors.

 

To help your body adapt effectively:

  • Aim to repeat the exercise 2–3 times per week.
  • Avoid long gaps (e.g., more than 4 days) between sessions—this can make each workout feel like starting from scratch again.
  • With consistency, soreness will reduce dramatically over time. You may even stop feeling sore at all—this doesn’t mean the workout isn’t working! It just means your body is now more efficient at building muscle.

Joint Pain

Not all pain from exercise is DOMS. Joint pain or general body aches can also be triggered, especially if you’re in perimenopause or menopause, when inflammation and sensitivity are more common.

You might already have a “trouble spot”—like a knee or back that occasionally flares up. It’s important to know that mild joint discomfort during the early stages of training is usually not a sign of damage.

With the right approach and consistent movement, even people with more advanced conditions like osteoarthritis often report less pain over time. In fact, 6 months of regular, well-guided exercise can lead to improved day-to-day comfort and function—even during workouts.

Injury Pain

So how do you know if you’ve actually injured something?

Injury pain usually:

  • Comes on suddenly
  • Is localised to one area
  • May include swelling or bruising
  • Is linked to a specific moment you remember (“I twisted my ankle when I landed wrong”)

If you suspect an injury, speak to your physiotherapist for advice. We can help guide your recovery and show you how to safely modify your exercise routine.

Even if you don’t recall a specific cause but the pain:

  • Feels excessive
  • Disrupts your sleep
  • Interferes with your daily function

…it’s still worth getting in touch. We’ve got plenty of tools and strategies to help you feel your best.

Chronic Pain

Sometimes pain hangs around long after an injury has healed. This is known as chronic pain, and while researchers are still working to fully understand it, we know that:

  • The pain is real—even when there’s no damage present
  • The nervous system becomes more sensitive over time
  • Staying active is key to managing it

If you live with chronic pain, the goal is not to eliminate pain entirely but to exercise within a manageable range. Aim to keep pain below 3/10 during exercise, and gradually build tolerance.

There are excellent resources to help you learn more about chronic pain—and if you’re curious, Traci is our go-to person for these conversations. She’d love to chat if you have questions!

Quick Tips for Managing Pain

  1. Understand it – Pain is your body’s way of alerting you to change, not necessarily damage.
  2. Ask for help – If you’re unsure, check in with your physio.
  3. Keep moving – Gentle walks, dynamic stretches, or any movement that feels good helps nourish your joints and reduce stiffness.
  4. Soothe it – Massage, heat/ice packs, or over-the-counter pain relief can take the edge off.
  5. Stick with it – Plan to keep exercising regularly, and aim to keep pain below 3 out of 10 during sessions.