Common Workout Mistakes - Learning the difference between an ache and a pain

Pain happens

One of the things you’ll learn when you start getting active, is that things will occasionally hurt. Yep, there’s no way around it, you’re going to be straining physically and your body is going to complain about it. When you go hiking, your legs are going to tell you they really don’t appreciate all those uphills. If you go to the gym, your shoulders are going to make it very clear that they would rather rest than lift weights. Even your butt is going to get into the act, letting you know that the bike seat is very uncomfortable and can you please get back to that nice soft couch? Yes, being physically active means an occasional ache. However, the question is, how do you tell an ache from a pain?

What’s the difference?

First, what the heck is the difference between an ache and a pain? Well, an ache is normal. It’s your body’s way of letting you know “hey, this isn’t comfortable, but it’s ok. We can keep going, just be aware of the fact that we’re getting tired.” When you lift weights, especially for the first few days, your muscles may ache. Walk too much and you may feel a bit of an ache in your feet. Again, this is fine. A pain on the other hand is your body telling you something is wrong. The message here is “something broke. Stop right now!” An ache you can work through, a pain means no more exercise.

Mistake time

Here’s where the mistake part comes in. Some people, especially when they’re starting out, cannot tell an ache from a pain. Some of them will stop every workout when they feel the slightest ache. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone hiking with someone who was new to it and they’ve said “oh wow, I have this ache in my side, I think something is really wrong!” Two minutes later they’re fine but there they were panicking over what they imagine to be a heart attack. On the other hand, there are always those who try to power their way through anything. They’re the ones who get seriously hurt because they don’t pay attention to what their body is telling them. I fall into this second category.

When I first started running, I didn’t pay attention to what my body was telling me. I had this pain in my right foot but I just told myself to toughen up and keep running. Two months later I was in the doctor’s office, unable to put any weight on my foot. Something that started out as a minor pain had developed into a serious stress fracture because I refused to rest my foot. Lesson learned, listen to my body.

So how do you tell them apart?

But how do you tell the aches from the pains? How do you know when it’s an ache that you can work through vs. a pain that’s telling you to stop? Well, there’s no 100% accurate method, especially when you’re first starting out. You’ll eventually just learn how your body communicates. In the meantime, play it safe. If you’re not sure what it is, stop your workout and see if it goes away. If something is bothering you, go see a doctor. And if you absolutely need some tips, here you go:

An ache is usually persistent and dull. It’s a low level kind of pain that doesn’t come and go very quickly. A pain is usually sharp. It hits you suddenly and will stop as soon as you cease doing whatever it’s doing.

An ache is familiar. You’ll usually have the same ache if you do the same activity. When you bike, your butt will always hurt, or at least mine does. A pain is unfamiliar. You might do the same activity a hundred times and you’ll always have the same ache, but on that hundred and first time something new will show up and that’s a pain.

An ache usually doesn’t hinder you from doing something. My legs ache at the end of a hike but I can still use them. A pain will stop you. My stress fracture got to a point where I couldn’t put weight on my foot.

Number 1 tip

My number one tip is to play it safe. If you’re not sure if it’s an ache or a pain, stop, take a break and see how you feel. If something persists, go see a doctor. You’re better off losing some workout time than risking your health.

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