If you're currently suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain, then there is a very high chance that you didn't get to this point overnight. Most people don't stop and think about their bodies when they sustain a mild to moderate injury. A major one, such as a crushed knee sustained in a car accident, will of course make you stop and think about your body. How could you not, when you're unable to walk?

Minor injuries, however, are rarely given the time and consideration that they deserve. It's often the minor injuries now that turn into major problems down the road.

There are usually three steps that lead long-term musculoskeletal issues.

The first is denial.

Most people deny the seriousness of their injury, especially when it's something like a sore elbow from working on a computer all day. If it's not broken or gushing blood, then it's nothing to worry about, right? Wrong. Thinking that your sore elbow is no big deal, or that it will clear up on its own is a mistake. Denying that there is anything seriously wrong enables you to miss a very important window at the onset- the very beginning is when you can do so much to avoid problems down the road.

The second step is pain avoidance.

We all know that the body doesn't like pain, so when we experience pain we begin to change our habits and mannerisms in order to avoid it. People who have chronic lower back pain are prime examples of this. When they stand for a certain period of time, or garden, or walk, it hurts their back. What do they do? They start to avoid activities that are going to hurt them. Eventually, any movement or activity that is similar to those that initially caused the discomfort will cause pain as well. It's a snowball effect that gradually gets worse.

The last step in chronic pain is shortsightedness.

When people finally DO take action against their pain, most of the time they stop treatment way too soon. Often this is because their insurance will only pay for a minimum amount of physical therapy sessions, or because they're just ?too busy? too keep up with the therapy. Many times they quit, thinking they're recovered, when the reality is that they're only 50-60% recovered.

Don't let this ?unholy trinity? affect you the way it does so many others! If you're experiencing musculoskeletal issues now, stop and examine what may be causing them. Don't blow it off, and if you do need to seek therapy, keep going until you're 100% recovered. Do you your homework, and don't depend on others to carry you along.

It's your body. Take care of it!