Wellness Blog
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Pain Science Education
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Recent Blog Posts
Evolution of The Pain Free Athlete
Changes are coming at The Pain Free Athlete! Most noticeably the website will be redesigned with an updated version launching this weekend and the newsletter distribution and blogs reducing to quarterly publication. These modifications are needed to free up some of my...
Introducing Pain Story Project: Changing the Narrative on Pain
Pain Story Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of chronic pain through education and coaching. The truth is, when we hurt, we devise stories about why we have pain. It is a natural human reaction. These stories help us to...
How Personal Labels and Identities Impact Performance and Pain
How we view ourselves matters. Whether we realize it or not, we have strongly held ideas about our abilities and bodies. In other words, we have applied labels to ourselves which in many cases contain a judgement such as, I am a good driver, I have a bad shoulder, I...
Finding Flow, Being in the Zone, and Meditation in Sports
During a recent training call I attended, the teacher likened the meditative state to experiencing flow or being in the zone. Further, he went on to explain that both of these concepts reference an altered state of consciousness. Essentially, no matter what you call...
Why We Can’t Stop Exercising Despite Pain and Injuries
Athletics can be an addictive behavior. The addiction is as powerful as drinking alcohol, working, shopping, eating, and other similar actions that can be overdone with negative consequences. Similar to all of these behaviors is the desire to tune out and escape the...
The Link Between Injuries and Your Beliefs, Actions, and Recovery
This winter was a season of injuries in my house. It started with my husband Ken’s calf pain while running in December and my foot swelling and stiffness after cross-country (xc) skiing a few weeks ago. Both disabilities were new to us, issues we had not previously...
Visual Illusions and Your Perception of Pain
What you see affects your pain. And your senses–what you see, hear, feel, taste, and touch–contribute to your perceptions, including your perception of pain. The book, Pain and Perception, explains perception as an answer to the question: “What does it all mean?”...
What’s Heart Rate Variability (HRV) got to do with chronic pain?
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is quickly becoming a popular biometric to measure wellness, with several watches tracking this data and numerous apps analyzing it. But what is HRV? Understanding HRV HRV denotes the relationship and synchrony between the heart and...
Chronic Pain: A Balancing Act Between Feeling Safe or Threatened
Our emotional state impacts our chronic pain experience. Thus, feeling safe or threatened can increase, decrease, or completely eliminate the sensation of chronic pain. Essentially, how much something hurts is often dependent on our circumstances and whether we feel...
Meet Jessica!
I believe we are designed to move and play throughout our entire lives. I don’t buy into the idea that we should slow down with age, or that pain, injury and physical restrictions are unavoidable aspects of growing older. So, here’s my philosophy. Our mental mindset, combined with the physical position and condition of the body that we bring into any activity (from walking to skiing to everything in between), determines our chance of hurting when we move. If we have a positive mindset, and if we have proper positioning and move with correct body biomechanics, all activities should be possible.
This is the goal I have for everyone: to overcome pain and limitations so you can Stay in the Game for Life!
Visit The Pain Free Athlete website for additional resources and opportunities.
