Many athletes with spinal cord injuries train hard to compete. But there’s a problem that often gets overlooked—nerve pain. This type of pain doesn’t come from sore muscles or broken bones. It feels different. And it’s hard to describe. Yet doctors and trainers still rely on vague conversations to understand it.
New research from UBC Okanagan shows a clear need for better ways to help athletes explain this pain. Dr. Kendra Todd, who led the study, says pain from nerves is often confused with injuries caused by training. That leads to poor treatment plans, and in some cases, more harm than good.
These athletes aren’t unaware of how they feel. In fact, many of them understand their bodies well. But nerve pain is strange. It doesn’t always have a clear beginning or explainable source. That makes it harder for athletes to describe it, even when they clearly feel it.
When Words Fail: Naming Pain in Daily Life
People living with spinal cord injuries often use vague or unusual words to explain what they feel. In many cases, their descriptions confuse doctors who are trying to figure out if the pain is related to nerves or muscles. Popular forums and reviews—like those discussing Delta 8 THC gummies, heating pads, body scans, or other tools—show how often people rely on trial and error to manage pain that is hard to explain.
Some posts describe a mix of burning, aching, strange numbness, or the sense that something is “off” deep inside the body. These scattered reports may seem unreliable, but they give insight into how real and persistent this pain is.
Understanding Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain begins with damage to the nervous system. It can cause sensations like burning, tingling, or sharp stabbing. It might show up in places that don’t seem injured at all. For people with spinal cord injuries, this type of pain is common but hard to diagnose.
Some athletes in Dr. Todd’s study used words like “uncomfortable” or “ambiguous” to talk about their pain. A few even said the feeling was “dislocated” or hard to place. These aren’t the usual medical terms doctors are used to. And without clearer language or testing tools, there’s room for mistakes.
In some cases, athletes only mentioned the pain when prompted with a list of symptoms. That means unless someone is trained to ask the right questions, the pain may go unnoticed or misjudged. Without the right diagnosis, proper treatment is impossible.
Beyond Training: The Role of Medical Support
Trainers and healthcare workers who support high-performance athletes need better tools. The study recommends using detailed questionnaires based on symptoms. These can help guide athletes to describe what they’re really feeling, even when they struggle to put it into words.
Dr. Todd’s supervisor, Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, also stresses this. She believes there should be more effort put into training staff to recognize the signs of neuropathic pain. A strong observation of how an athlete talks about their body and symptoms should be part of routine care.
Misreading pain can delay an athlete’s return to sport. It can even push someone to stop training altogether out of fear or confusion. Knowing what the body is actually saying through its signals can help reduce that risk.
Looking at the Bigger Picture
This isn’t only about helping athletes win. It’s about their quality of life. Many people with spinal cord injuries continue to deal with pain long after the injury itself. In athletes, this pain may be buried under the pressure to perform and the routines they follow.
When people assume all pain in athletes comes from effort or injury, they miss what’s happening internally. This creates a cycle. Pain is felt, but not named. It is managed with rest, ice, or other basic measures, but the root cause is not addressed.
If those close to the athlete are aware of these patterns, they are more likely to look deeper. And the earlier they do, the easier it may be to find a path forward.
A Gap Worth Filling
Most of the time, athletes are expected to push through discomfort. But when that discomfort is nerve pain, pushing through might make things worse. The study from UBC Okanagan shows this area has been overlooked for too long.
At the same time, it opens a door. With better tools, better training, and better attention, there’s a clear path to more accurate diagnosis. Not only does this improve care, but it lets people stay active without unnecessary risk.
Final Thoughts
Training, competition, and recovery all rely on what the body can do. But if the body is in constant pain, it’s hard to function well.
For athletes with spinal cord injuries, neuropathic pain is real. It’s uncomfortable, often hard to name, and easy to misunderstand. Giving them the tools to express what they feel is basic care.
Dr. Todd and her team don’t promise easy solutions. But their work shows that new tools can help. Better conversations begin with better questions. And when that happens, pain can stop being an unknown. It becomes something seen, heard, and finally, treated.
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