What if the pain you’ve been trying to run through, stretch out, or foam roll away isn’t actually coming from where you think it is?

neuroscience of pain
image from Kruse Elite

As runners, we spend a lot of time talking about training plans, workouts, strength work, and recovery. But the mental side of training and the role the brain plays in what we feel doesn’t get nearly as much attention.

What if your brain is playing a bigger role in the pain you’re experiencing than you realize? Coach Amanda has talked about this mind body connection for years with injuries, but now we’re really getting in to the science of what’s happening to help you manage your own pain!

To learn more about the connection between neuroscience and pain, we sat down with Taylor Kruse of Kruse Elite. He helps runners better understand recurring aches, nagging injuries, and why pain isn’t always as straightforward as we think.

If you want to learn even more about this topic, head over to the Tread Lightly Running Podcast to listen to the full episode with Taylor Kruse of Kruse Elite.

The Role of the Brain in Perceiving Pain

We often think of pain as a direct signal that something in the body is damaged or injured. But according to Taylor, it’s not quite that simple.

Instead, your brain is constantly taking in information and deciding whether it thinks you need to feel pain.

When something feels off, your body sends signals to the brain. The brain then looks at the bigger picture: what you’re seeing, what you’re feeling, past experiences and even what it thinks might happen next.

He describes the brain as a prediction machine. It’s always trying to make sense of what’s going on and keep you safe.

perceiving pain

This is why pain doesn’t always match what’s happening internally. Sometimes the brain decides there’s enough of a threat to trigger pain, even when there isn’t a major injury.

That doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real. It absolutely is.

It just means that pain is influenced by more than damage alone. Your brain plays a big role in deciding what pain response is needed and when.

Difference Between Overuse Injury Pain and Perceived Threat Pain

An overuse injury, like a stress fracture, is a little more straightforward.

There’s actual damage in the body, and your brain receives signals that something needs attention. Those signals can contribute to the pain you’re feeling because there’s a physical injury that needs to heal.

Perceived threat pain is a bit different.

Taylor explains that a lot of the aches and pains runners experience day to day may be more related to the brain sensing a potential threat than actual tissue damage.

overuse pain or perceived pain

The tricky part is that both types of pain can feel exactly the same. But just because something hurts doesn’t automatically mean you’ve seriously injured yourself.

That said, pain shouldn’t be ignored either. If it’s sticking around, getting worse, or affecting your ability to run and go about daily life, it’s worth checking in with your doctor to rule out a potential injury.

As Taylor talks about in the podcast, many runners immediately think, “I must have injured something”, the moment pain shows up.

But pain can come from a few things: actual tissue damage, the brain perceiving a threat, or a combination of both.

That’s why it’s important not to immediately go down a rabbit hole of conclusions every time an ache or pain appears. Especially if you’re tapering for a race… we’ve all been there!

How Does Stress Play a Role in Perceived Pain?

Stress can have a much bigger impact on how we feel as runners than most of us realize.

Taylor explained this using what he calls a “threat bucket”. Throughout the day, different stressors are constantly being added to that bucket.

Some of those stressors are physical, like old injuries, balance issues, vision problems, breathing difficulties, and even scars. Others come from everyday life, like work, relationships, finances, lack of sleep, or emotional stress.

As more and more gets added, the bucket starts to fill up. Eventually, it can overflow, and one way that overflow may show up is through pain or discomfort.

This helps explain why aches and pains often seem to always appear during stressful periods.

Maybe you’re tapering for a big race, dealing with a stressful week at work, or juggling a lot outside of running.

You may not actually be injured, but your brain is taking in all those stressors and deciding how much overall threat you’re experiencing.

The aha moment here is that pain isn’t always just about what’s happening in your muscles, bones, or joints. Sometimes it’s your brain’s way of saying that your system is overloaded and could use a little more recovery, rest, or support.

We could share so much more information with you about the neuroscience of pain, but you’ll have to listen to the full episode to hear the entire conversation.

Additional Resources

Want to keep learning? A few more books Coach Amanda has been reading and recommends:

Hopefully, this gave you a better understanding of how your brain may be playing a greater role in the pain you may be experiencing.

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The post The Neuroscience of Pain: Why Your Brain Creates Pain and What Runners Can Do About It appeared first on RunToTheFinish.



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