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· Dan Frankel, physiotherapist and strength coach

Healing Takes Time: Don’t Pick The Scab

Propel Fitness Journal, Issue 013

Why Pushing Through Pain Might Be Slowing You Down

You’ve been there before—feeling like if you just push through the pain, you’ll heal faster and come back stronger. But here’s the kicker: repeating those painful movements is actually doing the opposite.

Think about a scab—it needs time to heal, and constantly picking at it only makes it worse. Injuries work the same way. If it hurts to lift your shoulder over your head, and you do that motion 30, 40, 50 times a day— just to see if it’s still there —the sensitivity will increase, and it will take even longer to heal.

Healing Isn’t About Hiding, It’s About Smart Recovery

Now, I’m not saying you should hide from activity altogether. If you get hurt and the area scabs over, you shouldn’t revert to sitting in a dark room and avoiding movement altogether— it means protecting that injury while you continue to participate in your normal, active life. Like a scab, your body needs time to recover. Be patient with the process. Give yourself the space to heal and come back stronger, not because you rushed it, but because you gave it the time it needed.

– Dan


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