Pain

Types Of Pain

Pain is your main guide with an injury. You will have to monitor your own pain during each exercise. In very simple terms, there are 2 types of pain:

• Pain due to stiffness.. this pain is bearable for the duration of your exercises. It will ease soon after you finish. This pain is basically telling you that your muscle is a bit out of practice and needs to be eased back in to working order. So it's OK to experience this pain. It will range from little or no pain to quite severe.
• Pain due to damage.. this pain is definitely NOT OK. It will range from unbearable to the point where you're screaming in agony (try to stop before you get to that stage!). It will carry on long after your exercises and may not ease for a few days. This pain is telling you that your muscle is still highly damaged and isn't ready to be exercised yet. If you experience this pain then stop your exercise immediately.

The amount of exercise you do depends on your monitoring of your pain. As with any other exercise, listen to your body.
If the pain is bearable and eases off soon after, then you've done the correct amount. So next time you could do the same amount and gradually increase it according to your pain.
If the pain is nearing severe and takes much longer to ease after, then you've probably pushed yourself too hard. Next time reduce the amount of repetitions you do and reassess your pain.
The best way to do these physiotherapy exercises is to set yourself a plan. For example, if your pain allows you to exercise 3 times a day, then write down the times and your pain response after each time. Stick to this plan everyday, and adjust it according to your pain and improvements in stiffness.
Your focus during each exercise should be on the quality of movement.Don't try and get through the repetitions as quickly as possible. You'll lose focus of the proper movement and it won't do you any good. Slow, smooth movements, with your focus strictly on the muscle/joint you're working, are best.