Chronic Pain and the Power of Ownership: Why Blame Keeps You Stuck

Let’s talk about something we see all the time in clinic…

You get a diagnosis:
Disc bulge.
Labral tear.
Tendinopathy.
Fibromyalgia.
“Pelvis out of alignment.”

And suddenly, it becomes the story you tell yourself every time the pain shows up.

You stop trusting your body.
You start avoiding movement.
You google more.
You brace more.
You feel stuck.

And the worst part? That diagnosis becomes your identity.

Are You Living in a Diagnosis or a Victim Mindset?

Now, don’t get us wrong having a diagnosis can help guide treatment. It gives us language and clarity.

But when it turns into a reason you can’t get better that’s when it becomes a cage.

We see this all the time in chronic pain:

• “I can’t lift because of my back.”

• “My hip is always going to be unstable.”

• “I’ve tried everything this is just how it is now.”

This is called the victim mindset.
And it’s sneaky.

It tells you that your circumstances are the reason you can’t change.
It makes you believe your body is fragile.
And it convinces you that nothing will work.

But here’s the truth: a diagnosis isn’t a life sentence. It explains what’s happening but it doesn’t define what’s possible.

You don’t need to be fixed.
You need to be empowered to take the next step, even if it’s small.

Slipping Below the Line Isn’t Failure …..It’s Feedback

Chronic pain doesn’t usually follow a straight line. There are dips. Setbacks. Flare-ups.

And when that happens, people panic.

They miss a few rehab sessions...
They stop doing the strength work...
Or they have one painful day and think, “I’ve gone backwards.”

But the truth is simpler than that:

You’ve just slipped below the line.

Below the line looks like:

• Avoiding movement out of fear

• Letting excuses stack up

• Blaming stress or work or life and doing nothing about it

• Expecting someone else to fix it for you

Above the line looks like:

• Taking ownership of your choices

• Showing up, even when it’s hard

• Communicating what’s working or not

• Staying consistent, even with small actions

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being responsible for the role you play.

Accountability = Power

When you stop blaming your pain on your circumstances and start owning the choices that affect it — everything changes.

You realise:

• You do have influence over your pain

• Your body is more adaptable than you thought

• Progress isn’t always about being pain-free — it’s about staying in the game

It’s not your fault you got injured.
But it is your responsibility to decide what you do next.

And when you take that seriously — when you stay above the line — you stop giving your power away to your diagnosis, your schedule, or your past.

You take it back.

So... What Now?

If you’re stuck, ask yourself:

• What am I avoiding?

• What patterns have I let slip?

• What’s one thing I can change today?

Then do that, no overthinking, no waiting for the perfect moment.

Because setbacks are normal.
Slipping below the line is normal.
Staying there is a choice.

Choose to rise above it. Choose to show up. Choose to take your power back — one step at a time.