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Suz
559 Posts |
 Posted - 09/03/2004 : 08:01:21
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Hey everyone,
I have been battling this flare up of my sciatic/hip pain for the last 3 weeks. I decided a few days ago to go back to the gym.The first few nights I went on the eliptical machine - something I have never been fearful of causing my pain. But last night, I decided to do the weights - especially one for my thighs and but - I was a little fearful about increasing the pain - and lo and behold last night and this morning I am in agony. I read the next portion in Sarno's "healing back pain" last night and it was all about how fear of the pain can perpetuate the TMS syndrome more than anything else. I realize now that I fall into that category.
How does one fight this and get over this? I know the pain is harmless - I am 100% convinced that it is TMS but I am fearful of the pain as it is agony.
Have any of you any tips on how to overcome fear of exercise making it worse? I know intellectually that the exercise cannot make it worse as it is not structural - but I am in a battle to overcome 12 years of conditioning. I read in his book that one guy was fearful of running and just made himself bully through the pain.
Any tips would be really great!
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2004 : 08:56:40
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It's very difficult to overcome the conditioning. Fear induces pain.
I have gotten to the point where I do not fear the exercise. Even if my lower back hurts, I will do leg presses. After the exercise, I congratulate myself and realize that the pain has not gotten any worse.
If for some reason the pain is worse the next day, I do not even think to connect it to the exercise; I connect it to my emotions.
You say your are "100% convinced" but that's not really true. There is a part of you that believes the elliptical machine has something to do with the pain, even if that part is buried in your unconscious. All you can do is keep fighting through it. |
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Agata
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2004 : 08:57:20
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Suz,
I didn’t have fear but I exercised (walking and swimming) thinking subconsciously that I am helping to fix my physical problems. Both activities were recommended by my chiropractor. I loved my morning walks anyway and I didn’t want to stop walking in order to recondition my brain. I started reading Sarno’s book while walking. That helped. After few weeks I started to call my walks “wakeup walks”. They truly are my wakeup walks at 6 am. I also started new exercise, running. I never run before and my brain couldn’t have any opinion on that. After few month of that brain wash, I always think “mentally” about my exercises, not “ physically”. I hope this helps.
Agata
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2004 : 10:05:38
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Dave,
Did you originally have fear of exercising? I have spent so many years restricting the exercises I do that this is going to be a challenge for me. I understand that John Sarno recommends not exercising too early but right after I read his book, I went running the next day - and had no pain. It is only 4 months later now that I seem to be on the wrong track. The pain was initiated by a painful, emotional situation and for some reason has held on ever since.
It is hard to mock the brain and laugh at it when the pain is excruciating. It is actually quite hard for me to walk right now. I don't find that any painkillers help - of course because this is not structural.
I guess I will try to switch my focus to emotional things - and battle through. |
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diverlarry
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2004 : 11:59:07
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Its very difficult to overcome fear of exercising. I also spent many years restricting my life because i though exercise would hurt me.
I went through a PT program(Boot Camp for Backs) that made me "push" through the pain. It didn't work. I got worse+worse and eventually i ended up is spasms and laid up in bed. This was before reading Fred Amir's and Dr Sarno's books. In retrorespect ending up in bed was a good thing because i finally found out what was wrong with me.
The reason the back boot camp didn't work was because i didn't believe 100% in the TMS theory. And my mind was telling me i was going to get hurt and i did. Overcoming the conditioning fear of exercise had been extremely difficult for me. I read about other people who just start exercising and they are fine and this makes me angry because im not one of them. Im doing very well now. It has not been easy. But i keep going. Sometimes you do need to back off,take it easy then start agin(in my opinion). I started out vey slow. Doing just a little at a time.
And there are certain activities i still have probelms with. But i am working on getting past these fears. I use the success of overcoming other conditioning to convince my mind there is nothing wrong with me. Also when i go exercise or do something, i vision myself as doing the activity with no pain. I program my mind for sucess. Before i expected to hurt...now i don't. I get angry at my mind for playing tricks on me. But somes days just SUCK !! Now im at a point now where things are finally starting to work. Its take time to get "100% convinced" and im probably not there yet but will be. Everyone is different and has their own timetable. You do need to keep fighting and believing and reading.
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Fear of pain in exercise
