Using your mind to heal the body.

Welcome to The Movement. (4-minute read)

My name’s Ryan, and I specialize in helping people be active and thrive in and out of the gym. This newsletter is about challenging the status quo of healthcare and fitness and summarizes what I’m learning, thinking, and teaching.

Thanks for being here. Let’s get into it.

How Imagery Can Impact Pain and Recovery

If you're injured, your mind (get it?) most likely goes straight to exercise.

Start with PT. Do rehab. Move. Exercise. Strengthen.

Maybe some hands-on work - soft tissue massage, an adjustment from a chiropractor.

But little attention is paid to the mental side of injury and how imagery and visualization can dictate our likelihood of success.

This oversight is huge, because what happens in your head might be just as important as what happens in the gym. Imagery and visualization techniques are powerful tools for dealing with pain. Research consistently shows that these mental practices can significantly impact healing, pain management, rehabilitation, and performance.

The Mind-Body Connection

Your brain often can't distinguish between what's actually happening and what you're vividly imagining. When you visualize something intensely, your brain activates many of the same neural pathways as during a real experience. This is why elite athletes visualize perfect performances before competing.

They're literally training their brains.

The same principle applies to pain management and recovery. When you visualize your body healing, your brain releases chemicals that can support the physical healing process.

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The applications of imagery during recovery are endless.

You might picture the healing process unfolding inside your body - swelling reduction as super-absorbent materials drawing fluid away, muscle fibers knitting together to form strong new tissue, or bones mending with super-strong materials.

For pain management, you could "dial down" your discomfort by shifting from hot colors or loud sounds to cooler, quieter ones, or transform pain into an object you can manipulate, like a red ball that gradually shrinks and disappears.

Multiple studies confirm these benefits. Research has shown that imagery helps:

• Athletes cope better with injuries (Gould, 1997)

• Manage emotions, anxiety and worries (Hamson-Utley, 2008)

• Eliminate counterproductive thoughts (Dreideger et al., 2006)

• Prepare for return to pre-injury performance levels (Wash, 2005)

From Pain Management to Performance

As your recovery progresses toward returning to activity, imagery shifts to focus on performance.

Mentally rehearsing successful workouts with proper form, visualizing yourself completing activities pain-free, and imagining yourself performing at your pre-injury level all create neural pathways that support physical success. These "mental reps" prepare both mind and body for the real thing.

One of the most accessible applications involves creating a safe mental environment. By developing a peaceful mental sanctuary - perhaps a beach, forest, or garden filled with rich sensory details - you create a mental escape from pain while reducing stress and anxiety. This practice alone can significantly alter pain perception and improve your emotional state during recovery.

Visualization also serves as a powerful motivator. Seeing yourself achieving goals and overcoming obstacles increases your commitment to treatment and provides purpose during challenging recovery periods.

This is particularly valuable when physical limitations make actual practice difficult. Through imagery, you can continue "practicing" even when your body needs rest.

Try This: A Simple Pain Management Exercise

Want to try a simple imagery exercise for pain management? Here's how:

1. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you won't be disturbed.

2. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths to relax.

3. Focus on your pain area and visualize it as a physical object, perhaps a red, hot ball.

4. Imagine holding this object and squeezing it until it becomes smaller and eventually disappears.

5. Then visualize healing energy - perhaps warm golden light or cool blue mist - flowing into the affected area and spreading throughout your body, bringing calm and relief.

6. Stay with this image as long as needed before slowly returning to the present.

Before workouts or therapy sessions, a different type of visualization can be extremely helpful.

1. Find a quiet space and take several relaxing breaths.

2. Picture the upcoming session with yourself in a confident state, imagining the environment in detail.

3. See yourself performing exercises with precision and strength, overcoming potential challenges, and finishing energized and accomplished.

4. Hold this positive image before beginning your actual session.

Why It Works

Imagery is particularly valuable during recovery because it can be practiced when physical activity is limited by pain or injury.

As you progress in healing, your imagery focus naturally shifts from pain management to successful performance. The sensory detail matters - how things look, sound, smell, feel, and even taste in your visualizations makes them more effective.

The beauty of mental imagery is that it costs nothing and can be practiced anywhere. Just 5-10 minutes daily can make a significant difference in your recovery journey. What mental techniques have you used in your own healing process? Your experiences might help others finding their way through similar challenges.

Until next time

That’s all for today. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help.

• 🤝 Want to work with me 1:1? Book a Discovery Call to see if you’re a good fit.

• 💊 Looking for top supplements? Access my recommended selections through Fullscript, my online dispensary.

• 📕 Curious about managing pain? Download my “Pain Guide” here.

Need something else? Just reply to this email - read every response.

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See yah out there,

Ryan

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.