From pain avoidance to pain management - changing your approach

Written by Mathieu Stremsdoerfer, CEO and Co-Founder at Healactively

Avoiding pain doesn’t lead to healing managing it does.

For most people dealing with back pain, the natural instinct is to avoid anything that might trigger it. Skip certain movements. Rest as much as possible. Keep the back “protected.”
This is understandable but it’s also a mindset that often leads to more pain, not less.

True recovery comes not from avoiding discomfort, but from learning how to manage it intelligently. That means understanding what the pain is telling you, how to respond to it, and how to move through it rather than around it.

Pain avoidance is a trap

Pain is meant to be a signal, not a stop sign.
When we treat it like something to fear or avoid, we unintentionally train the brain to become more sensitive to it. This leads to what’s known as the fear-avoidance cycle:

• Pain appears

• You avoid movement to stay “safe”

• Muscles weaken, joints stiffen

• The body becomes more fragile

• Pain increases with less activity

• Fear grows and you move even less

This cycle can last for months or even years, locking people into patterns of tension, fear, and inactivity.

What managing pain actually looks like

Managing pain doesn’t mean ignoring it or pushing through blindly.
It means understanding that most back pain especially mechanical, non-specific pain can be modified and reduced through movement, posture, and awareness.

Here’s what a management mindset includes:

• Recognising which movements help you feel better

• Identifying pain triggers in your day-to-day routine

• Adjusting how you move not avoiding movement altogether

• Strengthening weak areas to increase long-term protection

• Rebuilding confidence through small, consistent effort

You’re not broken you’re adaptable.

Why education is part of pain management

You can’t manage something you don’t understand.
That’s why education is a key part of the healing process. When you know what pain really is and what it isn’t you stop reacting out of fear.

Important truths to remember:

• Pain does not always equal damage

• Most back pain is not caused by serious structural issues

• Imaging (like MRIs) often shows “problems” even in pain-free people

• Movement helps more than it hurts when done thoughtfully

Once you understand pain, you can start responding instead of reacting.

Healactively’s approach - empower, don’t restrict

At Healactively, we teach you to take back control not just over your body, but over your mindset.

Our approach helps you:

• Break out of avoidance habits

• Build safe, structured movement routines

• Understand pain science without the fear

• Develop daily awareness and recovery confidence

We don’t push you we guide you. Because healing happens faster when you stop hiding from pain and start working with your body.

Ready to stop avoiding and start recovering?
Start your journey today with Healactively where real recovery begins with understanding.