Pain Doesn’t Mean Stop – Explorer Sheet

A guide for navigating pain without panic.

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🔹 Purpose: To help patients reframe the meaning of pain during movement—so they can explore safely without assuming every sensation means damage.

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🔹 Why This Matters: Most people are taught that pain = harm. But in chronic or persistent pain, this belief fuels fear, avoidance, and loss of function. This tool gently helps patients ask better questions instead of automatically stopping when pain shows up.

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🌀 Explorer Sheet Prompts:

🗣️ 1. What Kind of Pain Is This?

(Circle what feels most accurate)

▫️ Sharp and new

▫️ Familiar but tolerable

▫️ Annoying, not alarming

▫️ Stiffness or tightness

▫️ Pressure, not sharpness

▫️ Just… different

If sharp, sudden, or new—pause and reassess.

If familiar or mild—your system may just be protecting, not warning.

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🗣️ What Just Happened?

(Pick one or add your own)

▫️ I tried something new

▫️ I moved faster or farther

▫️ I was anxious or tense

▫️ I was focused on the pain

▫️ Nothing in particular—I just noticed it

Pain often responds to context—not just movement.

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🗣️ What’s One Thing I Can Try Before Stopping?

(Encourages self-regulation before full avoidance)

▫️ Slow the movement

▫️ Breathe deeper

▫️ Change position slightly

▫️ Pause, then restart

▫️ Switch to a different activity

▫️ Keep going gently and observe

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🗣️ 4. What Did I Learn?

(Reflection builds safety-based memory)

▫️ “Pain didn’t escalate when I stayed curious.”

▫️ “Changing position helped.”

▫️ “I felt fear, not actual injury.”

▫️ “That felt okay—better than expected.”

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🧠 Closing Thought:

“Pain doesn’t always mean stop. Sometimes it just means listen, adjust, and keep learning.”

This resource is part of The Wondering Clinician Toolkit. It’s not medical advice—just a tool to support learning, reflection, and healing. Always consult your clinician when needed.