Runners have long played mind games to get through a tough run or to make it just a little farther. My favorite is usually...I'll just run to the next light pole...which turns in to about 10 light poles and 12 more blocks.
So is it possible that our mind games are also the cause of many injuries? I will just flat out say you need to be OPEN MINDED to read this post or even consider its validity... so you've been warned. 
In this months issue of Runners World there is an article about a man with an injury...who went through all of the attempted remedies for pain that I have been doing!! PT, icing, heat, medicine, accupuncture, massage...ETC... then he heard about Dr. John Sarno who says that many (NOT ALL) pains are a manifestation of your mind. TENSION. STRESS...and most importantly repressed rage.
I decided that what the HECK I might as well investigate this more and see what happens. So I downloaded Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, by John E. Sarno, M.D. and began listening to it on Sunday night. It's very hard to explain his whole theory but here are a few major tid bits:
1. Talk to your brain. Listen up brain you need to stop with manifesting this pain, I understand that I have repressed an emotion and I will deal with it, but I will no longer tolerate this pain.
2. Understand that true pain never lasts this long. Example: Have you ever had surgery? Remember how it really only hurt for a few days...not MONTHS on end. Or you stubbed your toe..short term pain because your body knows how to handle true pain. But pain from your unconscious is different.
3. You have to truly understand his theory and understand how these feelings could be manifesting in your body. You have to understand that sitting shouldn't be a painful activity..and that much like Pavlov you have learned to associate your activity with pain...so that's what you get.
4. Stop everything you are doing to treat the issue...there is nothing to treat.
Here is another older RW article online about this same topic.
ME?
Personally, I believe a great deal in the power of the mind on influencing your body and experiences... so this whole theory seemed plausible to me. I have to admit...my arse issues (piriformis), IT band issues...gone since I really started to believe exactly what he's saying and I have been talking to my brain.
KITTY
We are going to the vet today.
He still has no name other than Little Dude.
Our other cat HATES him and us for bringing him home.
He is still cuddly and fun.
He likes sitting on my shoulder.
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Gratitude Journal
July 14
I am grateful for good vets 
I am grateful for tiny kitty scratches
I am grateful for fun weekend plans
I am grateful for AWESOME lunches (details tomorrow)
I am grateful for learning to cook
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Mind Games For Pain?
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RunToTheFinish
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24 Bloggie Friend Thoughts:
I liked your post lots to think about!
I am reading ChiRunning right now! it's very interesting too... less is more...
I named my cat: Mademoiselle le Poof so don't take any name ques from me! LOL
(but she's a fluffy prissy thing and it fits)
how about Shamu? hahahah
sorry. Ima dork!
it took us weeks to name our kitty...and EVERYONE got involved. we had suggestions like TACO, and Mocha (she's brown) and it digressed from there. (teenagers) but in the end, and because she's MY cat...Ms. Le Poof stuck (the men call her KC instead...K(itty) C(at)
good luck
LOL maybe his name should just be Dude? One of my co-workers has a cat named Dude. It cracks me up.
I read that this month and found it very interesting. I haven't had time to look into the website to read more into it but the general stuff I have read makes sense. But I think there is a lot behind it. I just worry that if someone is truly hurt that they don't see the proper care.
Coming up with a kitty name is so hard! We took nearly a week to name our baby :)
it's definitely interesting! Thanks for sharing.
I'm behind on my RW so I'll have to check this article out.
Oh no, he's not happy with the new kitty? That's my fear of getting a kitten. Newman would freak out.
I definitely believe in the whole mind/body connection like this... a lot of my pain and struggle through my last half was all in my mind. Many "bad" runs I've had were because my mind convinced me I was struggling. I think I need to take some of this advice and start convincing my mind I feel AMAZING. :) Great post!
I love that little dude likes to sit on your shoulder! Parrot cat! ha!
Definitely sounds interesting! I believe 100% in the power of the mind. Of course, some injuries are "real" but maybe we can cure most with a positive attitude! Thanks for sharing.
Interesting. I do think the mind plays a HUGE part.
I am now hoping that my hip pain is repressed rage! :)
I think that things like massage/acupuncture are useful because they not only great the physical symptoms/causes of pain, but also have meditative properties that can treat the emotional aspects (whether that's the cause of, or a result of the pain).
I'm still voting for Cairo - but if he's anything like my three babies, he'll go by multiple names. :)
Ooh I saw that article in RW too, and it made me really curious. I was actually just thinking about it! I think I'm definitely going to check out his book now.
I hope everything goes well at the vet!
Hmmmmm. . . . .
Pain management and all that is so interesting to me. I always try to talk myself out of a headache.
RE: the "back to start" Garmin function, it's on my Forerunner 405, but I'm not sure what other models have it. You push the GPS button and scroll down to "Back to Start". A compass leads you back. It's pretty slick!
I think there is a huge mind-body connection to our well being, and I'm curious to know how this helps. Your new kitty is adorable (not sure if I commented on that post or not).
I go back and forth with this theory all the time. I think sometimes we really need to listen to our bodies and other times we really can control the mind and it's reaction.
Case in point: 26 months ago my father-in-law was diagnosed with a brain tumor that was quite rare. Originally he was given only a few months, the medium life span after diagnosis was a mere 8 months. He didn't want to know any of it. He didn't want any details. He did what his doctors said with surgery, chemo and radiation. His positive attitude I do believe allowed him to live longer than anyone with the disease.
Unfortunatly, he passed away this past Friday, I am certain that his postivie attitude and his ablity to not know what the end results would look like allowed him to live a much fuller life even in the end. :) His mind helped him heal and recover much longer than anyone else.
Thanks for the post and the articles, this really gets me wanting to explore this idea even more since having witnessed it first hand.
There's definitely a mental component to racing. Usually when I'm disappointed in my results, it's because I know I gave in mentally, but really could've pushed it physically.
I should try talking to myself during the races. If I'm surrounded by other runners who'll sing/gasp out loud, I might as well add to the cacophony, right?
I was thinking about this on my run today too. Even just thinking, "nah, my quad doesn't hurt, it's all in my head" helped a bit. Mind over matter!
Very intersting! :)
That is a good thing to remember that true pain doesn't last that long. When it's bad we tend to think it will never be better, but it usually/always improves. I love your mind/body connection stuff!!
My 4 year old neice wants to name everything Sparkle Polkadot or variations of the sort.
I'm totally into the mind/body connection :) Interesting stuff.
Hey girl! I got my Amazing grass today and wanted to say thank you thank you! You rock ;)
Oh that reminds me so much of a church group that I used to belong to. A lot of how your mind, body, spirit are connected. Good stuff to think about!
I agree - there's totally something to be said for the mind-body connection... I wonder, though, whether there's a danger there, too - whether we can talk ourselves out of pain to such an extent that we cause/exacerbate a real injury. I'll be interested to read more about how it continues to work for you!
This post is something I really needed to think about. Thanks!
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