B.A.S.S. – Balance. agility. strength. stretching

BRAIN B.A.S.S for Week 6 - Slow Builds Last Longer Than Boom-Bust!

By kay fitton

Pain can make it difficult to know how much activity is enough.

Do too much at once and you may flare things up. Do too little for too long and your body misses the chance to rebuild strength, tolerance and confidence.

This week is about finding the middle ground through pacing.

START WITH A QUICK CHECK

Is there an activity you have gradually stopped doing because pain appears?

Or do you sometimes have a good day, do far more than usual, then need several quieter days afterwards?

That boom-and-bust pattern is common with persistent pain.

YOUR BRAIN CAN CHANGE

When pain continues for months, the brain and nervous system can become more protective. Pain may begin earlier during an activity, even when your tissues are not close to being damaged.

The important part is that this system is not fixed. Your brain continues to learn and change.

The Twin Peaks image below helps explain this. Notice the space between the point where pain starts and the point where tissues are actually reaching their tolerance.

That space matters. It gives us room to gradually rebuild activity without assuming every increase in pain means harm.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

Choose one activity you would like to build up, such as walking.

If five minutes feels manageable but 30 minutes reliably causes a flare-up, start somewhere you can repeat comfortably and consistently.

Then build from there gradually. You might add a small amount every few days or each week rather than making one big jump.

The aim is not to ignore pain. It is to give your brain and body repeated evidence that you can safely manage more.

Over time, that might mean walking further, gardening longer or getting through a shopping trip with greater confidence.

Slow builds last longer.

This week’s reminder:
“Build, don’t boom.”

Watch this week’s video below to learn more and put this week’s Brain B.A.S.S. challenge into practice.

CHECK IN

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