PSA: Pain isn’t normal. If you are in pain, it’s an indication that something is wrong.
I recently met with someone who was eager to join with Virtus. The conversation started as it usually does with someone who wants to get started:
“Tell me about yourself. What do you want to get out of working with us? Why are you here?”
This individual began telling me about how they wanted to lose some weight and learn how to move better. I was about to quiz them further on this, when almost as a throw away statement, they mentioned that they also didn’t want to experience pain anymore.
Immediately, red lights started flashing.
I dug deeper and learnt that this person has been experiencing some sort of back pain for the last 5 years. They had tried various treatments and therapies but to no avail. To varying degrees of intensity, lower back pain had stuck with them for half a decade.
This isn’t normal.
Our body is biologically wired to let us know if somethings up. When we fall out of homeostasis, or something diruptive enters our system, we get to know about it. Pain is simply a signal letting us know something’s wrong.
So if we are armed with this knowledge and we know it to be true, why do we see so many people in pain and just accept it as “normal”? That this issue is too difficult to fix so I’ll just manage?
Of course, it will take effort to remove ourselves from pain. It will require patience and some resilience. It may also cost us financially as we seek out experts to help us. But it will be worth it. If we are chasing longevity and we still want to be running around in 40 years doing the same things we are now, we need to put in some effort and commitment.
Don’t let pain become “normalised”.
Simon G. Cooper 