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Joint pain sucks.

It can block you from feeling healthy, vital, and strong.

Worse yet – fear and stress can amplify your pain.

Which can create a cycle of fear, stress, and pain feeding into each other. 

Here’s a lucky secret that you may not know:

👉A lot of joint pain can be resolved through some really simple actions.

Actions that aren’t even specific to the joint in question.

Because even the most expert physical therapists don’t fully understand the causes of pain.

So, while you should definitely consult with a physiotherapist or chiro….

There’s one key mindset you need to start believing in.

😉You CAN resolve your pain on your own.

A physio can’t heal you. A physio can HELP your body heal itself.

With that being said, let’s get into some actions.

So that you can feel free to move how you want – without pain.

However, quick warning:

We aren’t doctors. We aren’t physical therapists. We aren’t chiros.

These 8 actions are simply things that have worked for us.

Action 1: Realize that weight lifting needs balance ⚖️

Weightlifting is great. 

You build strength, muscles, and bone density.

However, you can run into some nagging aches and pains.

Or even serious injury.

Your solution?

Balancing your weight training with bodyweight training.

Old school bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger started their careers with a few years of bodyweight training…

BEFORE they got into weight lifting. 

As a form of physical education, and injury proofing.

So if you’re dealing with pain right now, seriously consider doing more bodyweight training than weight lifting.

 

Action 2: Use the stoplight test for pain👋 – and keep moving💪

There’s one BIG mistake most people make when they’re in pain.

They stop moving completely.

Yes, rest is important.

However, the body heals itself through movement. 

Your body needs the blood flow and stimulation that movement provides.

But, you can definitely aggravate pain if you’re moving in the wrong ways.

So, what’s a guy or gal to do?

Use the stop light test for any given movement.

Green – the movement or exercise feels good. Keep going.

Yellow – The movement hurts a tiny bit, but you feel better afterwards. Proceed with caution.

Red – The movement hurts. Avoid that movement for now.

Keep finding green movement to do!

 

Action 3: See a physio or chiro 🧐

Physical therapists and chiropractors aren’t gods. Their advice isn’t always correct.

However, seeing multiple physios/chiros to get some expert opinions on your pain is always a good idea.

Remember – If they tell you to not move at all, and give up athletics, you can always get a second opinion.

 

Action 4: Change your pain with mindfulness🙂

Your emotional states can greatly affect your pain.

Mindfulness training can help you destress, and remove some of the fear surrounding your pain.

And since fear and stress amplify pain, you’re winning on two fronts here.

Sam Harris, a neuroscientist and mindfulness expert, recently released an excellent meditation app you can check out here for free.

Action 5: Experiment with anti-inflammatory supplements 💊

Supplements shouldn’t be your only action when dealing with pain.

But they can be an effective way to get your body out of inflammation.

Here are a couple to try out (not all at the same time):

Again, this is NOT a prescription. These are simply supplements that have worked well for us.

 

Action 6: Use education to relieve pain🩹

The unknown often frightens us.

And fear, like we said earlier, heightens pain.

So, educating yourself on pain, and how it functions, can be an effective way to reduce (and possibly even eliminate) your pain.

This interview with movement and pain science experts Todd Hargrove and Joe Tatta, DNS, CPT,  is a great place to start.

Action 7: Use mint essential oil 🧪 to “reset” pain

Yes, we know this sounds funky.

We were skeptical too, until expert chiropractor Dr. Perry Nickelston recommended it to one of our coaches.

We don’t know why it works.

But one of our coaches found that it significantly reduced his wrist pain and forearm pain.

Our theory is that since mint essential oil creates a pleasant warming sensation on your joints, it acts as a “neural reset”.

Like a hot shower or icing a joint.

Try it for yourself and see.

 

Action 8: Start to PLAY🤸‍♀️ more with your movement

If you’re too serious about movement, you can get stiff and mechanical

The body thrives on being flexible and relaxed.

So being too serious can create a bad environment for pain relief.

Your solution?

Start to play more.

You don’t need every workout session to be hardcore, or even hard.

Doing a few easy, fun exercise sessions each week is great for your nervous system and pain levels.

For more on this, check out Todd Hargrove’s excellent book Playing With Movement.

Just to summarize everything up, here are the 8 actions you can do to relieve you from joint pains:

1. Realize that you have other options for resistance training other than weight lifting (Hello, Calisthenics!)

2. Use the stoplight test for pain

3. See a physio or chiro

4. Change your pain with mindfulness

5. Try anti-inflammatory supplements responsibly

6.Use education to relieve pain

7. Use mint essentials oils

8. Play more with your movements

Now Let’s add another action you should try doing NOW!

 Action 9: Choose 1-2📌 of these and get moving!💪

OK, you’ve just learned 8 different ways you can feel relief from your pain, starting NOW.

If you’re currently feeling aches and pains, we want to challenge you – it’s time to invest in feeling relief!

Here’s your challenge: 

Hit a comment below and let us know which pain relief actions you’re going to do RIGHT NOW.

BONUS ACTION: TRY MOVEMENT ATHLETE ACADEMY.

TMA is build upon the concept fo adaptive calisthenics. This progressive bodywieght strength training is designed to condition your nervous system while increasing the resistance little by little.  Thousands and thousands of athletes are using the program and many of which used it to recover from injuries and get rid of pain. See all success stories here