Should You Stop or Keep Exercising Through Pain? Read This Before You Decide
If you’re dealing with pain and feeling unsure about how hard to push during exercise, think about it like a traffic light. Each “light” gives you a clear direction on how to approach your workout, so you can keep moving safely and effectively.
🟢 Green Light: GO
What it Means: You feel no pain or minimal discomfort during the activity.
Action: You’re clear to proceed with confidence. Chances are this activity is safe and aligned with your recovery goals.
Tip: Enjoy the movement but stay mindful of any sudden changes in pain or discomfort as you go. Consistent “green light” exercises build strength and support healing.
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🛑 Red Light: STOP
What it Means: The activity causes sharp or intense pain.
Action: Use common sense and stop. Continuing could increase inflammation, delay healing, or worsen injury.
Tip: If you hit a “red light,” don’t be discouraged. Your body is signaling a boundary. Instead, try other exercises that avoid this pain.
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🟡 Yellow Light: PROCEED WITH CAUTION
What it Means: You feel moderate discomfort that doesn’t worsen significantly as you continue the activity.
Action: This is your “caution” zone. Proceed with awareness and pay attention to pain levels, both during and after exercise.
Guidelines for Yellow Light:
If Pain Returns to Baseline Within 24-36 Hours: A moderate increase in pain during activity is usually okay as long as the pain settles back to normal levels within a day. If it does, this activity may be safe in moderation.
If Pain Persists Beyond 24 Hours: Reassess. This could indicate the need for a longer rest period or adjustments to your workout (see below).
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How to Turn a Red Light into a Yellow, or a Yellow into a Green
When you hit a “red” or “yellow” light, try modifying aspects of your exercise to reduce pain while still staying active. Here are some specific variables you can adjust:
Range of Motion: Limit the depth or angle of movement (e.g., do partial squats instead of full squats).
Exercise Type: Swap out exercises that aggravate pain for gentler ones (e.g., switch lunges for step-ups).
Contraction Type: Focus on isometric (static) or eccentric (lengthening) instead of concentric (shortening) movements
Body Position: Adjust your stance, posture, or use supportive surfaces (e.g., perform exercises lying down rather than standing).
Rest Time: Increase breaks between sets or exercises.
Frequency: Decrease how often you perform an exercise each week.
Duration: Shorten the time spent on specific exercises.
Load: Lower the weights or resistance used.
Speed: Slow down your movements to allow better control and minimize impact.
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Movement is Medicine, Rest = Rust
Staying active is essential to recovery and overall wellness. Movement strengthens muscles, maintains mobility, and promotes blood flow to injured areas. But knowing how and when to move safely is key.
Listening to your body and respecting pain signals helps prevent setbacks while you stay committed to movement. Remember, modification doesn’t mean weakness; it means you’re moving wisely, respecting where you are today, and taking control of your recovery journey.
