Stop picking the scab! Why your pain may not be going away.

In the world of injury recovery, patience isn't just a virtue - it's an absolute necessity. But let's face it, when you're used to moving at full speed and doing what you love, slowing down can feel like a drag. This is especially true for those nagging injuries that seem to be just on the verge of healing or never seem to heal. You know, the ones where you're almost back to normal, so you can start pushing your limits again and get back to doing what you love. But wait a sec! This is exactly where Dr. Stuart McGill’s wisdom about not "picking the scab" comes into play.

Who is Dr. Stuart McGill?

Dr. Stuart M. McGill is a Biomechanist, Kinesiologist (means movement scientist in Canada, similar to exercise scientist in Aus) and distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, where he spent 30 years researching low back pain, rehabilitation, and injury resilience. He has authored over 245 peer-reviewed papers and several textbooks, earning numerous international awards, including the "Order of Canada" in 2020. McGill has mentored over 37 graduate students and taught thousands of clinicians worldwide. He continues to serve as the Chief Scientific Officer for Backfitpro Inc., consulting on difficult back cases and testing products in his laboratory. His expertise is sought by governments, corporations, and elite athletes globally. He has dedicated his career to understanding low back pain and how to empower people to fix it and live without it.

Some people know him as the Big 3 guy, which he definitely is. You know the daily 3 lower back exercises for spinal hygeine. Like brushing your teeth for your spnie everyday. But that is just one of the things he has brought to the world of lower back pain. The idea of picking the scab is another.

What Does "Picking the Scab" Mean?

"Picking the scab" is McGill's metaphor for doing the very things that could slow down, or worse, reverse your healing process. It’s that moment when you’re feeling a bit better, and you think, "I can probably lift that now," or "Just a little stretch won't hurt." It’s human nature to want to test the waters, but when it comes to injury recovery, this can be more harmful than helpful. Or worse, you think you are pain free as you had that awesome treatment and then you go to put on your shoes the next day and "ouch" there's the pain again.

Imagine a physical scab on your skin. You pick at it, it bleeds, it scabs over again, and the healing cycle repeats. The same thing can happen with your muscles, fascia, tendons/ligaments, spinal discs or joints. Constantly "picking" at these injuries by overdoing it or doing the "wrong" things can lead to a chronic condition or make your current injury far worse.

Daily Activities: The Hidden Traps

Daily activities are sneaky little culprits when it comes to aggravating an injury. Dr. McGill emphasises the importance of recognising that the things you do every day can add up. Whether it's sitting for long periods or sitting in a slumped posture, sleeping in an awkward position, bending awkwardly, or even lifting something light with bad form, these seemingly innocuous activities can "pick the scab" without you even realising it.

Take sitting, for example. You might think you're resting, but poor posture can exacerbate a back injury. McGill is known for his research on spine mechanics, and he’d be the first to tell you that prolonged sitting, especially with slumped posture, can create undue pressure on your spine, making recovery even harder and potentially injuring your spine every time you sit that way for too long.

Or consider reaching for something on a high shelf. If your shoulder has been giving you trouble, this simple movement can cause a flare-up if you're not careful. It's not just about avoiding heavy lifting; it's about being mindful of how you move in every aspect of your life.

The Key: Building Awareness and Adjusting

So how do you avoid "picking the scab"? The first step is awareness. Understand that your body is in a delicate state, and you need to treat it as such. This means not just avoiding the obvious—like heavy workouts—but also being mindful of your everyday movements that bring on the pain and avoiding those.

Dr. McGill often advises a period of "spine hygiene" or "joint hygiene," which involves paying close attention to how you move and adjusting accordingly. This could mean using proper lifting techniques even for light objects, being mindful of your posture, and perhaps most importantly, giving yourself permission to rest.

What can I do?

Knowing good form is important here. So if you use good form in the gym when you lift weights, then bring that form into your daily life. McGill also recommends using a squat or golfers lift/pickup when picking something up off the floor such as your keys as this is a really common way to re aggravate your lower back. Using the squat with a straight back and allow yourself to come up onto the toes so the back doesnt round or using the golfers pick up which is like a single leg dead lift and keeps the back straight too means you can pick things up off the ground without bending and injuring the lumbar spine.

Using a core brace like squeezing out as though you are doing a number 2 or squeezing in the belly button are great when doing common movements that may injure you like rolling over in bead, getting out of a chair or getting out of bed. Often when you brace the core as you move like this you give your spine stabilty and there is no pain.

The less your brain gets the pain signals the less you will experience and think about pain which also takes your mind off the pain which for chronic pain sufferers, thinking about pain can be one of the biggest parts of an injury.

Progress, Not Perfection

Recovery isn't a race, and it's not linear. There will be good days and bad days. The goal is not perfection but progress. And part of that progress is knowing when to back off. By not "picking the scab," you give your body the time it needs to heal fully, allowing you to come back stronger and more resilient.

In short, respect the process. Listen to your body, take the advice of experts like Dr. McGill to heart, and remember: healing is a journey, not a sprint. Don't sabotage yourself by being impatient. Give that scab time to heal properly, and you'll thank yourself in the long run.

Conclusion

So there you have it. If you are struggling with chronic pain or an injury right now it is really important to notice what takes your pain away and what makes it worse and also listen to professionals who advise you not to do certain activities for a time so you can allow healing. It's often the repetitive things we don't think are aggravating us that are. Look at the way you are sitting, walking, running style, lifting technique, sleeping position and tune in to your body to notice how you feel after you do things. Sometimes it may be up to 2 days later. You need to imagine every time you do the thing that aggravates you, you will reinsure yourself and go back to square one. You have to take it that seriously. 

As they say… the hardest exercise is the one they tell you not to do.

If you need help with an injury that's just not getting better then get in touch and book in a session to see one of our highly trained practitioners now.