Is Your Pain Good or Bad? Here's How to Know the Difference
🕒 Read time: 5 minutes
Should I push through this pain… or stop?
If you’ve ever found yourself asking that mid-workout, post-injury, or even during daily movement—you’re not alone.
Here are just a few questions you (and a million others) have probably Googled:
Is muscle soreness after a workout good or bad?
Should I stop if I feel sharp pain during exercise?
Is pain during rehab normal?
How do I know if it’s an injury or just soreness?
We’ve all been taught to either "tough it out" or to "rest until it goes away"—but neither extreme gives your body what it actually needs.
Let’s fix that.
🔎 Pain Isn’t Always Bad. But It’s Not Always Harmless Either.
There are three types of pain that show up with training, recovery, and injury. Knowing which type you’re dealing with can help you train smarter, heal faster, and stay out of the endless injury-reinjury loop.
You can get the full breakdown in my free PDF:
👉 Download the Good vs. Bad Pain Guide
But here’s the quick version:
✅ Good Pain: “You’re on the right track.”
This is the kind of pain you actually want to feel. It's a sign your body is adapting and improving.
Examples of good pain:
DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) – dull, achy pain 24–48 hours post-workout
Stretch discomfort – pulling without sharpness
The “burn” during high-rep strength sets
Controlled rehab discomfort when reintroducing movement
Good pain is temporary. It doesn’t cause fear, limping, or lasting irritation—and it usually gets better with movement.
⚠ Cautionary Pain: “Pay attention—but don’t panic.”
This is the gray area. It’s not dangerous, but it’s a signal that your body is still adjusting or healing.
Examples of cautionary pain:
Sharp or pinchy pain in one specific movement
“Zingers” or nerve-like sensations after surgery
Lingering tendon or joint discomfort
Pain that feels “off,” not quite painful but not quite right
If you're feeling this type of pain, you don’t need to shut everything down—but you do need to modify and possibly get expert input.
❌ Bad Pain: “This is your body’s warning system.”
This kind of pain should never be ignored. It signals something deeper—tissue damage, nerve irritation, or overload.
Examples of bad pain:
Sudden sharp pain that makes you stop
Pain that gets worse the more you move
Swelling, redness, or warmth around the area
Pain that lingers past 72 hours
Tingling, numbness, or burning
This pain often disrupts your mechanics (think: limping, guarding, avoiding), and pushing through it can turn a small problem into a big setback.
📥 Want a Quick Reference?
Download the full Good vs. Bad Pain Guide for a clear visual breakdown of all three types of pain—how they feel, what causes them, and what you should do about them.
👉 Download the Free PDF Guide Here
👟 Still Unsure? That’s Exactly What I’m Here For.
I created this guide because I was tired of watching athletes and active individuals ignore warning signs—or stop completely—because they didn’t know how to interpret their body’s signals.
If you’re stuck in that in-between zone and unsure what’s safe or smart...
👉 Book a 1:1 Movement Assessment with me.
We’ll review your movement patterns, training routine, and pain history so you walk away with:
Clarity on what’s causing your pain
A plan to move forward without making it worse
Confidence that you’re not doing more harm than good
🔗 Book Your Movement Assessment
Written by Dr. Clara Moon, PT, DPT
Founder of FYSIKASE | Movement Specialist | @fysikase
