When exercising with an injury, it is often thought that pain equals harm. This is not necessarily true.

We often use a 0-10 scale to grade how bad the pain is that you are experiencing. This graphic shows this as a traffic light system.

When you are completing your exercises consider how the pain feels. 0-3 or green is regarded as a safe zone and activity should continue.

4-5 or orange is an acceptable level of discomfort to be feeling when exercising and is safe to continue with and should settle within 24 hours of stopping.

6-10 or the red zone is seen as too much and you should think about modifying the exercise, reducing the weight being used or avoiding that exercise all together and trying again the next day. Staying active during injury will not do harm, it is important to be aware of what is considered reasonable.

If the worsening pain persists for a few days after exercise please consult your physiotherapist or healthcare professional.