Mindful stretching can resolve something called Inflammation Resolution Pathways. Our bodies and brains become used to chronic inflammation and the associated pain. On the cellular level, that feeling of pain gets imprinted and keeps recurring over and over like a record skipping.
Shirley gets up in the morning and walks down the stairs and – poof – there’s the right knee pain – her old friend. Or her lower back, or plantar fasciitis and on and on.
It’s not all in her head, it could be a physical injury occurring long ago. Now she feels every little tweak. Recent research at Tufts Medical School shows stretching provides an inflammation resolution pathway to lessen, even eliminate the pain.
It does by bringing blood flow into the connective tissue, fascia and other tissue. If we do it mindfully, activating the parasympathetic system, we create new connections from the body to the brain creating that new pathway “resolving” the inflammation.
It’s teaching your brain and body to work together to stop that cycle of familiar pain – you don’t need it!