Suzette Obiana-Martina, a seasoned Cesar Exercise Therapist, combines over 15 years of expertise with a unique, supportive approach to empower people in managing and preventing physical complaints. Her passion is teaching self-reliance through precise, therapeutic movement for lasting wellness.
What I unfortunately often hear during my 1-on-1 sessions is: “Mi no por mas” This means, “I can’t take it anymore”, in Papiamentu which is my native language. In our fast-paced modern lives, where efficiency and performance are paramount, we often forget to listen to our bodies. We have become so accustomed to our daily movements that we are barely aware of how we move and what postures we adopt. Whether it's sitting at a desk for hours, carrying heavy bags, or simply using a phone, we do it all on autopilot. However, these unconscious movement patterns lead to the development of complaints that we often only notice when the pain becomes unbearable. In this article you will find explanation of how these subtle habits can ultimately have a major impact on our bodies and overall well-being.
How small movements lead to big pain
Small, seemingly harmless movements or postures that we adopt daily can eventually lead to significant pain or discomfort. Consider examples like sleeping with the wrong pillow or working at a computer with a monitor positioned too high. While these habits may not cause immediate discomfort, over time, they can result in chronic pain or physical issues if repeated often enough. This section of the article would explain how these subtle habits can ultimately have a major impact on our bodies and overall well-being.
When we consistently overload certain muscles and joints through incorrect posture or repetitive movements, several things happen within our bodies. Muscles that are frequently engaged without proper rest or variation become tight and fatigued, leading to increased tension and reduced flexibility. Over time, this tension restricts normal movement and forces nearby muscles to overcompensate, creating an imbalance in muscle use.
In joints, repetitive strain can cause gradual wear and tear on the cartilage, the tissue that cushions joints, leading to discomfort and, eventually, inflammation or pain. For example, holding a forward head posture when looking at a screen strains the neck and upper back muscles, while sitting with improper back support can lead to lower back pain as spinal discs bear more pressure. These habits not only create localized discomfort but can eventually impact the alignment of our entire body, making it harder to perform everyday activities without pain.
In essence, prolonged poor posture and repetitive strain disrupt the body’s natural balance, making pain and injury far more likely over time. Recognizing and adjusting these daily habits can help relieve pressure on muscles and joints, restoring comfort and protecting long-term health.
The science of pain: Understanding why small strains add up
Explains the physiological and biomechanical reasons why certain daily habits can lead to pain and discomfort over time. This involves recognizing how repetitive motions, prolonged postures, or even simple activities like sitting, using a smartphone, or improper workstation setups impact muscles, joints, and nerves. The science behind this discomfort reveals that our bodies respond to consistent strain with inflammation, muscle tension, and gradual degeneration, often resulting in chronic pain. By understanding these underlying mechanisms, individuals can take proactive steps toward adjusting their habits and alleviating discomfort.
One of the main problems we face is that we are no longer aware of how we move. Movements such as sitting, standing, walking, and bending are often done without a second thought. These automatic movements are not always efficient or healthy, and we often adopt postures that strain our bodies. Think of sitting hunched over at the computer for hours, keeping your neck tilted while looking at your phone, or quickly lifting a heavy bag without paying attention to your back. These daily habits may seem harmless, but they gradually place pressure on muscles and joints, leading to pain and chronic complaints over time.
However, the body is smart and sends us signals when something is wrong. Pain is one of those signals. It’s a warning mechanism that tells us something is off, that we are overloading ourselves or moving incorrectly. Unfortunately, we are often inclined to ignore these signals. Instead of pausing to consider what our body is trying to communicate, we justify it: "It's just tiredness" or "I just need to finish this task." We attribute it to stress or busyness and continue without paying attention to the signals our body is giving us.
Identify common habits that strain your body
In this section I would like to identify and analyze three typical daily activities that contribute to body strain and chronic discomfort. Examples include sitting, standing, and sleeping. Each habit creates a unique strain on muscles and joints, often without immediate pain signals. Over time, these repetitive stressors lead to discomfort as muscles and joints bear pressure they’re not designed for. This is meant for you to recognize and modify these daily routines to prevent further strain and improve your overall well-being.
I will now explain the three essential everyday postures and movements mentioned above with you:
1. Sitting
Everyone sits daily, some more than others, and since body structures differ, one chair may feel comfortable for one person but not for another. When we choose furniture based on looks alone, we may overlook its ergonomic impact. It’s crucial for both feet to rest flat on the ground, with the thighs supported by the seat, and the entire back resting against the chair’s backrest. For example, if your back measures 70 cm, a 50 cm backrest won’t offer adequate support if you’re sitting for long periods. A headrest can help, provided it doesn’t push your head forward. For those with wider hips, additional back support (like a cushion) may prevent back strain, which can occur if the lower back is not adequately supported. And what is also very important is to use your body as symmetrically as possible. Make sure to sit evenly on both sides of your hips, ensuring you’re not leaning more on one side than the other. When your base is symmetrical, your spine remains properly aligned. If not, your spine may shift, potentially leading to a postural scoliosis, which can result in pain and discomfort.
2. Standing
Standing is also something we all do, and like sitting, some do it more than others. Many people unconsciously favor one leg over the other, even without a leg length discrepancy, often shifting weight back and forth. To prevent strain, balance your weight evenly on both legs, reducing one-sided stress. Additionally, avoid locking your knees, which can lead to joint strain and disrupt natural posture; instead, slightly bend your knees to keep pressure off the back and knees.
3. Sleeping
Sleep is something we all do daily, and it’s essential to ensure our bodies are well-supported to prevent discomfort. Sleep is a time of recovery, and a good night’s sleep is crucial. While sleeping, aim to keep the body neutral—for instance, aligning the neck and head with the spine and the arms and legs in line with the shoulders and hips. The right pillow height and firmness are essential for supporting the neck and head. In side positions, place a pillow under the top arm and between the knees. Variation is essential in all postures. It’s completely normal to turn over in bed at night, but during the day, it’s equally important to alternate between sitting and standing. Regularly switching between these positions helps prevent strain and promotes better posture.
Why ignoring subtle pain leads to chronic issues?
Because small, often overlooked pain signals are our body’s way of alerting us for underlying stress, strain, or injury. When we ignore these signals, we allow minor problems to persist, often exacerbating them until they evolve into chronic conditions. Here’s how this happens:
Accumulated Muscle Tension: When subtle pain is ignored, the body often compensates, leading to accumulated muscle tension. This constant strain weakens muscles and leads to imbalance, putting additional stress on surrounding areas.
Joint Stress and Inflammation: Small, persistent pains can signify joint misalignment or overuse. Ignoring them often leads to repeated strain, which inflames joint tissue and accelerates wear over time, leading to chronic pain or arthritis.
Pain Pathway Sensitization: Pain, when prolonged, can cause the nervous system to become overly sensitive. Known as “pain sensitization,” this process makes even mild pain feel intense, often resulting in chronic pain syndromes.
Psychosomatic Impact: Persistent discomfort can affect mental health, increasing stress and anxiety levels. This cycle worsens pain perception, making it more challenging to manage.
That’s why I want to highlight in this section why responding to subtle pain early on is essential for preventing chronic issues and maintaining a healthy balance within the body.
This pattern of neglect eventually leads to overload. If you keep pushing through without listening to your body, tension builds up. Muscles become overworked, joints become irritated, and the pain worsens. Only when we can no longer bear the pain do we realize we should have stopped much earlier. By then, the damage is often already done, and recovery becomes more challenging and time-consuming.
Simple adjustments you can make today for a healthier body
Small, practical changes in posture, movement, and daily habits can significantly improve overall physical health and reduce the risk of chronic pain. This involves adjusting how we sit, stand, sleep, and even carry out everyday activities to lessen strain on muscles and joints. For instance:
Improving Desk Ergonomics: Adjusting your chair height, screen level, and posture while working can prevent neck and back strain.
Optimizing Sleep Position: Using pillows to support the neck, shoulders, and legs promotes spinal alignment and reduces pressure points.
Breaking Up Long Periods of Sitting or Standing: Standing up and stretching regularly or alternating between sitting and standing reduces tension in muscles and joints, enhancing circulation and preventing stiffness.
Mindful Movement: Practicing proper lifting techniques and maintaining balanced weight distribution can help prevent repetitive strain and muscle fatigue.
These simple adjustments empower individuals to be more mindful of their body mechanics and make proactive choices to support long-term health and physical comfort.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we move and how our bodies feel. Let’s give ourselves the time to feel, to respond to the signals our bodies send, and to adjust our daily habits. It’s essentially a change in behavior. To maintain this specific behavior for a pain-free life, you need to keep practicing these steps consistently! Over time, this will become your new pattern of posture and movement. Only in this way can we ensure that complaints diminish and that our bodies remain healthy and strong. It’s time to live more mindfully and listen to what our bodies have to say.
Master the art of listening to your body’s signals
Emphasizes the importance of paying attention to subtle cues from our bodies—such as discomfort, fatigue, stiffness, or mild pain—that signal an underlying issue. Rather than dismissing or pushing through these sensations, this approach encourages individuals to recognize and interpret these signals as early warnings.
By building body awareness, we can identify when our posture, repetitive movements, or stress levels are affecting our physical health. For example:
Recognizing Early Signs: Small aches or tension often indicate areas of overuse or strain. Catching these early can prevent escalation to chronic pain.
Understanding Triggers: Listening to how different activities, positions, or stressors affect the body helps us understand and avoid specific pain triggers.
Encouraging Proactive Care: By responding to body signals—such as taking breaks, adjusting posture, or stretching—we support recovery and reduce long-term discomfort.
Overall, this approach highlights the value of a mindful connection with the body, which enables proactive care and promotes long-term well-being.
It is important that we learn to recognize pain and respond to it immediately. Pain should not be ignored. When experiencing pain, one should quickly assess the posture or movement being performed to identify what may be unfavorable for the body. Then, the unfavorable action should be corrected, allowing for an immediate change in the level of pain. It’s important to understand that pain is a message. It’s not an enemy to be ignored or suppressed but a signal that needs to be interpreted. Once you recognize and acknowledge the pain, you can make different choices. These new choices, such as moving more mindfully and treating your body better, will lead to different results: less pain and improved well-being. Becoming more aware of your movements and postures can help reduce pain, and if you practice this consistently, you can prevent complaints in the long run.
Track your progress
Document and analyze your progress in movement and behavior changes can be an incredibly effective tool for creating lasting habits and reducing discomfort. By keeping a detailed record of adjustments in posture, movement, and any resulting symptoms, individuals become more aware of how their habits influence their body. This practice not only helps track daily improvements but also reveals patterns in discomfort, making it easier to pinpoint specific activities or positions that trigger pain.
Creating a structured log allows you to notice trends over time, enabling you to identify behaviors that need further modification. For example, noting which postures or movements consistently produce pain can highlight areas that require change. This approach empowers you to take control of your progress, stay motivated, and adjust as needed, leading to healthier and more mindful movement habits.
Celebrate your pain-free progress
Celebrate every bit of progress you make toward a pain-free life! Life with less pain or no pain is something everyone desires, and when you find yourself able to do more indoors and outdoors, take a moment to appreciate it. Don’t let these victories go unnoticed or assume they’re guaranteed. Record these improvements as measurable milestones, helping you stay aware of your journey.
Reward yourself when you notice an increase in correction moments throughout the day, as these conscious adjustments often lead to less pain over time. Recognizing your efforts not only keeps you motivated but reinforces that every step forward is a step toward a freer, happier life.
Start your journey today
Begin your journey toward a pain-free life today—I'm ready to guide you in every step of the way to achieve this goal. Whether you’re seeking relief for personal or professional reasons, I can support you in reducing or even eliminating pain from your life. Reach out, and let’s schedule a call to discuss how we can work together on this journey. I look forward to partnering with you to create a happier, healthier future.
Read more from Suzette Obiana - Martina
Suzette Obiana - Martina, Cesar Exercise Therapist
Suzette Obiana-Martina, a licensed Cesar Exercise Therapist with over 15 years of experience, empowers patients to modify daily habits that contribute to their physical complaints. She provides quality time and tailored solutions to improve their personal and professional lives. Her mission is to make people self-reliant, equipping them to manage their own well-being. With extensive training in corporate exercise therapy, foot therapy, coronary diseases, psychology, and psychosomatics, Suzette connects deeply with her patients. By fostering positive encouragement, Suzette helps patients achieve more than they ever thought possible.
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