Why is this the case?  
  
As I’ve repeatedly stated, the intention behind any action during recovery is far more important than the action itself.   
  
Attempting to exercise your way out of pain, as opposed to it simply being a natural expression/activity, can reinforce pain for two related reasons:   
  
1. It increases fear, attention and anticipation as it relates to pain.  
  
The fuel for neuroplastic pain is fear and attention. If you exercise with the aforementioned intention, you will likely anticipate the pain prior to the activity. You will also scan for and expect it both during and afterwards, as the success of the activity depends upon how much pain you feel. This energy will strengthen the pain cycle and the conditioned pain response from physical activity. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.   
  
2. It likely sends a message to the brain that something is wrong.  
  
The truth is that most people without chronic pain don’t exercise to test their bodies/pain limits. They do so either out of enjoyment or to remain healthy. The biggest exception to this is when one is recovering from a structural injury.   
  
By pursuing this otherwise unnatural intention and behaving out of the ordinary, you risk implying to the brain that the body is damaged. The brain, in line with its protective function and in response, is likely to then ramp up the pain further.  
  
What is the alternative?  
  
As explained in my last post, I advocate to pursue natural movement as well as physical activity which is enjoyable and common to you.  
  
This is because the key question in active neuroplastic pain recovery to me is: does this thought, belief or action send the message to my brain that I am safe and healthy, or in danger and broken?  
  
This is why intention is so important, as it can greatly alter the message which a certain activity/action sends.   
  
Act as if nothing is wrong with you (to the extent that you can), because there isn’t!

Using physical activity as a "test"