When Pain Keeps Coming Back…
As an athlete for most of my life, I’ve moved through my share of injuries along the way. It was actually through this — while rehabbing a broken ankle — that I was first introduced to acupuncture. What began as a way to recover became something I returned to again and again. From a torn hamstring, dislocated shoulder, a partially torn Achilles, to broken bones in my foot and even bruised ribs, I’ve experienced firsthand how the body adapts, compensates and holds onto strain. And each time, I’ve come back to acupuncture — not just to heal the injury itself, but to help my body restore balance and find a new kind of harmony within. Even with the strain my body has moved through, I rarely experience lingering pain or discomfort — in part due to youth, but largely because of the consistency of my treatments, which keep everything moving and in flow.
Unfortunately, this is not most people’s story.
For many, pain has a way of repeating itself. A shoulder that tightens again. A knee that flares up after activity. A neck that never quite releases.
You treat it. You rest it. You stretch it. And for a while, it improves. But then it comes back.
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, this isn’t a failure of treatment. It’s a sign that the root pattern hasn’t been fully addressed.
Pain Isn’t Random
Whether it’s:
joints
muscles
tendons
Pain tends to follow patterns. Not just structurally — but systemically.
Because your body doesn’t separate movement, circulation, stress and recovery, the way we often do.
The TCM Perspective on Pain
In Chinese Medicine, pain is most often understood as stagnation.
This can be:
Qi (energy) not moving
Blood not circulating properly
fluids accumulating in an area
When something isn’t moving, the body compensates. And over time, that compensation becomes tension, restriction or pain.
Why It Shows Up in Active Bodies
Athletes and active individuals often experience this in a unique way. You’re asking a lot from your body repetitive movement, intensity and performance under stress.
Which means small imbalances get amplified.
A slight restriction becomes:
a tight shoulder
a pulling sensation in the knee
a recurring neck issue
It’s not weakness. It’s a sign the body is adapting — and needs support to keep up.
The Role of Circulation
Healthy tissue depends on blood flow, oxygen and nutrient delivery. When circulation is compromised — even slightly —
the body becomes more prone to stiffness, inflammation and slower recovery. This is where many injuries linger. Not because they’re severe, but because they’re not fully resolving.
The Liver Connection (Movement)
In TCM, the Liver is responsible for keeping things moving. This includes physical movement, flexibility and coordination.
When this system is under strain (from stress, overuse or tension), we see:
tight muscles
reduced range of motion
a tendency toward injury
The Spleen Connection (Recovery)
The Spleen plays a huge role in muscle health, tissue repair and energy production. When your Spleen is weak, recovery slows. You might notice lingering soreness, fatigue after training and heaviness in your body.
The Kidney Connection (Resilience)
The Kidneys govern deeper reserves. They influence bone strength, endurance and long-term recovery.
When your Kidneys are depleted, the body becomes more susceptible to:
chronic issues
recurring injuries
slower healing
Why Treating the Area Isn’t Always Enough
Focusing only on the site of pain can help temporarily. But if the underlying pattern remains, the body returns to the same state. This is why shoulder pain returns, knees flare up again and neck tension becomes chronic. The body hasn’t changed — just the symptom has been managed.
A More Complete Approach
To create lasting change, we need to support movement (circulation + Qi flow), tissue health, nervous system regulation and recovery capacity. This is where treatments like acupuncture and bodywork become so effective.
How I Work With This
In my practice, I don’t just look at the injury.
I look at:
how your body is moving as a whole
where tension is being held
how well you’re recovering
Then we work to release stagnation, improve circulation and support the systems responsible for healing.
So the body doesn’t just feel better — it functions better.
What This Means for You
When the root is addressed, you may notice:
pain resolving more fully
fewer flare-ups
improved mobility
faster recovery
a greater sense of ease in your body
Pain repeating itself isn’t something to ignore. But it’s also not something to fight against. It’s information.
And when you start working with your body in this way, things begin to shift — not just temporarily, but in a way that lasts.
If you’re dealing with recurring tension, injury, or pain, this is something I work with regularly.
→ Explore my acupuncture and bodywork treatments
Whether you’re an athlete or simply someone who wants to move and feel better in your body, the approach remains the same — restore movement, support recovery, and allow the body to do what it’s designed to do.
