The 3 Stages of Pain: How to Respond and Progress at Every Step

Persistent, sharp, or nagging pain? Before trying to silence it at all costs, start by decoding it. Understanding your pain is the first step toward relieving it.

Introduction

Pain is part of the human experience. Everyone encounters it at some point — whether after an injury, an intense workout, poor posture, or even without an obvious cause. Yet few people truly understand what their pain means or how to respond appropriately.

In a panic, we often alternate between full rest, stretching, ice, anti-inflammatories, and frantic Google searches. But without understanding the origin, type, and evolution of your pain, it’s easy to do too much… or too little.

This is where education becomes essential. Understanding your pain gives you back power over your body, your decisions, and your activities.

In this article, you’ll discover:

• The three main stages of pain (acute, subacute, chronic)

• How each one responds differently to movement

• The essential concept of mechanical stress

• And most importantly, how a physiotherapist can help you manage pain intelligently, without falling into avoidance or overload

Pain is not always a red flag

It’s natural to want to get rid of pain quickly. But not all pain signals mean serious injury. The body sends warning signals to protect us, but those signals can persist even after tissues have healed.

In physiotherapy, we generally recognize three stages of pain, each with its own characteristics and recommended approach.

Acute pain: protect and calm

Acute pain appears suddenly, often after an injury or overload. It is typically inflammatory, localized, and sharp.

Common signs:

• Pain at rest, even without moving

• Heat, swelling, or redness

• Sensitivity to touch or pressure

What to do:

• Relative rest: avoid putting stress on the painful area

• Ice and elevation: as needed to manage pain flare-ups

• Anti-inflammatories: usually after consulting with a pharmacist or doctor. Ideally only if your daily activities are significantly limited. Otherwise, avoid if possible.

• Seek help quickly if the pain is intense or prevents any movement

👉 In this phase, physiotherapy helps calm inflammation using gentle manual therapy, education, and very light exercises.

Subacute pain: resume gradually

Once inflammation has calmed down, the pain becomes subacute. The structures are still healing, but it’s possible to start moving more actively.

Common signs:

• Pain only during certain movements

• A feeling of stiffness, pulling, or weakness

• Muscle fatigue comes on quickly

What to do:

• Progressively return to physical activity while respecting your limits

• Targeted exercises for strength and mobility

• Closely monitor the mechanical stress applied to the injured area

🎯 This is where mechanical stress quantification becomes critical. A physiotherapist can guide you on how much, when, and how to move, based on your capacity.

Chronic pain: rebuild your movement tolerance

When pain lasts beyond a few months, it is considered chronic. At this stage, the tissues may have healed, but pain can persist due to increased sensitivity in the nervous system.

Common signs:

• Diffuse pain, sometimes hard to pinpoint

• Fatigue, stress, or disrupted sleep

• Fear of movement, avoidance, or discouragement

What to do:

• Retrain the nervous system to tolerate movement

• Move regularly, even with mild discomfort

• Change habits (posture, sleep, stress management)

• Complementary strategies: breathing, meditation, progressive strengthening

🧠 At this point, pain is no longer just a signal of tissue damage — it’s a complex experience influenced by mindset, emotions, and context. The physio’s role? To help you regain trust in your body.

Mechanical stress quantification: a key concept

Every movement, posture, or exercise applies mechanical stress to your tissues. Managing pain means finding the right dose of stress: not too much, not too little.

How to measure it?

• What increases pain: specific movements, loads, or positions

• What decreases it: rest positions, heat, specific exercises

A physiotherapist can help you:

• Identify tolerable loads

• Adjust your workouts or activities

• Plan a safe and gradual progression

🏋️ For athletes: this might involve adjusting your running pace, gym loads, or movement technique.

What to do if “everything hurts”?

If almost every movement is painful, the system might be in a state of hyper-reactivity or generalized inflammation.

In that case:

• Slow down and relax — less is more

• Find neutral or “safe” positions

• Practice diaphragmatic breathing or global relaxation techniques

🧘‍♀️ The goal isn’t to stop everything, but to restart intelligently.

The physiotherapist’s role in pain management

A physiotherapist is trained to:

• Identify the type and likely cause of pain

• Explain the mechanisms involved

• Quantify mechanical stress based on your individual situation

• Provide targeted treatments:

  • Manual therapy

  • Myofascial release

  • Dry needling (physiotherapy needling)

  • Customized exercises

  
  

They help you regain control over your pain and your activities.

Need help understanding your pain?

Don’t let pain stop you from doing what you love.

Book a consultation with a qualified physiotherapist to assess your situation and create a personalized treatment plan. 👉 Book your consultation now