The Journey from Pain to Pain-Free

What should you expect on the road to recovery?

The Pain Resolution Scale

Let's discuss pain and symptom severity, because your body's sensations tell us something. Your body & brain was built to have a physiological response to pain sensations, and it's important to listen to and partner with your body on your journey to pain resolution.

Below is the pain resolution scale, that helps gauge where you are on your way to being pain-free. The left side (radiating pain) being the most intense pain sensation, and as you begin to heal you go through phases of reduced pain sensation intensity from sharp pain to an achey feeling to stiffness/tightness, and eventually no sensation at all.

Pain Within the Body

Experiencing pain is a complex safety response within your body - where it is telling you something doesn't feel right and to feel better and move better, something needs to change.

So how does pain work?

There are sensory receptors all over our body that pick up on different sensations and communicate them to our brain, to help make sense of the world around us. There are specific pain sensation receptors called nociceptors, that creates a signal to your brain when there is damage or inflammation to the tissue of the body. As pain travels up the spinal cord and through the amygdala (that influences emotion), the sensation and the severity of it is processed in our brain.

Healing in the Body

After an injury, the body follows a predictable healing process designed to protect, repair, and restore tissue.

First, the body triggers inflammation. This phase helps control damage, increases blood flow, and brings immune cells to clean up injured tissue. While often uncomfortable, inflammation is a necessary part of healing.

Next comes the repair phase, where the body begins rebuilding. New tissue and blood vessels form, and collagen is laid down to create structure and stability in the injured area.

Finally, during remodeling, the tissue gradually strengthens and reorganizes. The new tissue adapts to the demands placed on it, becoming more resilient and functional over time - especially when guided by appropriate movement and loading.

In summary: healing isn’t instant. It’s a gradual process that depends on time, circulation, and how the tissue is used (and trained!) as it recovers. Thoughtful movement and progressive loading help ensure the tissue heals stronger and more capable, not just “patched together.”