Soreness vs Pain

flickr.com photo by Ha-Wee

As much as I love to work out with Jillian Michaels (using her DVDs, that is), Jillian often says "I know it hurts" or makes references to "pain" being a good thing, when in fact she means "discomfort" or "soreness." For example, she often quotes the saying "Pain is fear leaving the body." I have also heard her say specifically that we should not exercise an injured body part. This got me wondering: How can I tell the difference between soreness or discomfort, which is normal, and pain caused by an injury, which is a sign that I should stop immediately?

The article Aches and Pains: Sizing Up Soreness After Exercise (U.S. News, 2008) suggests some warning signs:

• Swelling
• Sharp pain which prevents your usual range of motion (in the neck, an arm, or leg, for example)
• Pain in previously injured areas

Here's another one that's a little bit funny: "If a body part looks deformed, seek medical attention." Apparently the author ignored a bent pinkie for a couple of weeks, after it was injured playing Nerf football. Oops.

How can we avoid exercise-related injuries? This WebMD article suggests that you should recognize your body's weak spots, like your bad knee (or in my case, shoulder tightness). There are also gender-related differences that make men and women better adapted for certain types of activity (see the article for details). You can hire a professional trainer to help you learn the right exercises and proper form for your body type. As we get older, we need to "act our age" and not do too much, too quickly. Warm up before you exercise, and make slow but steady progress as you increase weight, repetition, or distance. Finally, don't overdo it with the same exercise every day. Variety and recovery time are important when it comes to preventing injuries.

This article from sportsmedicine.about.com offers some similar suggestions, and mentions the benefits of cross training. Instead of running every day, for example, you could add swimming, weight training, or other sports to your routine. Programs such as P90X, P90X2, and Jillian Michaels Body Revolution incorporate this concept by focusing on different muscle groups in each day's workout, or alternating between cardio, strength training, and yoga.

Have you experienced an exercise- or sports-related injury? What are you doing to prevent injuries?

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