Thanks for the write-up—I hadn’t looked into neuroplastic pain before, but it rang a bell.
A year ago, I messed up my leg (probably sciatic nerve, not diagnosed), and the pain stuck around way longer than it should have. I couldn’t walk for more than five minutes without it flaring up, even weeks after the initial strain. It clearly should’ve healed by then—nothing was torn, broken, or visibly inflamed—but the pain stayed.
What finally worked wasn’t rest, it was more walking. Slow, deliberate, painful-but-not-too-painful walking, plus stretching. It hurt, but it got better. And once I saw that, something flipped—now whenever that sensation comes back, I’m not worried. I just think, “yeah, I know this one,” and it fades. That sounds a lot like the “engage with the pain while reframing it as safe” strategy you described, and it tracks well with my experience.
I’ll be experimenting to see if the same approach works on other kinds of pain, too.
now whenever that sensation comes back, I’m not worried. I just think, “yeah, I know this one,” and it fades.
That’s exactly what happened for me right on the day of the biggest single step improvement I experienced for my tendon pain. Observing the sensation get worse and better again a few times in a row, while continuously standing, was closely associated with the decrease in worry and pain.
Thanks for the write-up—I hadn’t looked into neuroplastic pain before, but it rang a bell.
A year ago, I messed up my leg (probably sciatic nerve, not diagnosed), and the pain stuck around way longer than it should have. I couldn’t walk for more than five minutes without it flaring up, even weeks after the initial strain. It clearly should’ve healed by then—nothing was torn, broken, or visibly inflamed—but the pain stayed.
What finally worked wasn’t rest, it was more walking. Slow, deliberate, painful-but-not-too-painful walking, plus stretching. It hurt, but it got better. And once I saw that, something flipped—now whenever that sensation comes back, I’m not worried. I just think, “yeah, I know this one,” and it fades. That sounds a lot like the “engage with the pain while reframing it as safe” strategy you described, and it tracks well with my experience.
I’ll be experimenting to see if the same approach works on other kinds of pain, too.
That’s exactly what happened for me right on the day of the biggest single step improvement I experienced for my tendon pain. Observing the sensation get worse and better again a few times in a row, while continuously standing, was closely associated with the decrease in worry and pain.