Finding Your Goldilocks Load: The Sweet Spot of Resistance Training in Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Rehab

Many people are unsure how much resistance is safe or most effective when recovering from pain or injury. Should they back off at the first sign of discomfort—or push through to get stronger?

This is a critical question in physical therapy and chiropractic care—and the answer isn't always black and white. Avoiding all discomfort may feel safe, but it often keeps people stuck in a state of frailty. On the other hand, doing too much too soon—even with the best intentions—can delay healing or cause reinjury.

That's where the idea of your personal Goldilocks load comes in. It's the sweet spot of resistance training that challenges your muscles and tissues enough to promote healing, without pushing you into a flare-up. This middle ground is where real, lasting recovery happens—and it's the foundation for building long-term resilience.

The Biology of Getting Stronger (in Plain English)

Stress + Rest = Growth & Repair

Regular, progressive loading tells your body to lay down new, better‑aligned collagen in tendons and to enlarge muscle fibers—making tissues stronger and more resilient.［1］

Muscle = Dynamic Bracing

Strong muscles act like an external brace, stabilizing injured joints and reducing excess shear forces. That extra support is protective, especially around the spine, knees, and shoulders.

Load Thresholds Matter

Research on tendinopathies shows that loads must reach roughly 70% of your 1‑rep max (or feel like 7/10 effort) to trigger remodeling, while pain ≤ 5/10 during exercise remains safe for most people.［2,3］

Consistency Is Key (Adaptations Take Time)

Most people need at least 6 weeks of consistent resistance training to begin seeing noticeable strength or tendon changes.

One of the most common rehab mistakes is stopping too soon. Don't quit when you're just getting started—give your body time to respond and rebuild.

The bottom line is that without enough challenge, tissues stay deconditioned; without enough rest, they break down. Your job is to steer between those cliffs. Most importantly, continue consistently for lasting adaptations.

The Pain Spectrum: From "If It Hurts, Don't Do That" through "No Pain, No Gain"

You've heard two common yet contradictory sayings. On one end of the spectrum is "If it hurts, don't do that." This is the safest route to protect you in the short term. However, it keeps most people stuck, never realizing the adaptive benefits that make tissues more resilient.

On the other end of the spectrum is the saying, "No pain, no gain." This mindset may help you get stronger the fastest, but it's also where the risk for injury (or reinjury) is highest.

The key to safely promoting adequate adaptations for stronger muscles, joints, and tendons is finding your personal Goldilocks load. This means finding the sweet spot resistance that's just right for you to stimulate healing without flaring symptoms.

Finding Your Place on the Pain Spectrum

Use this simple guide to find your Goldilocks zone based on your recovery stage:

• Early-phase rehab (e.g., fresh sprain and acute injuries)? Stay closer to the "if it hurts, don't do that" zone. In this phase it's best to avoid loading the tissues all together.
• Mid-phase rehab or chronic pain? You'll benefit most from the "just right" middle zone.
• Athletes with time-sensitive goals? You may edge into "no pain, no gain" territory—but only under expert supervision.

Quick Pain‑Check Rules

For some sub-acute and especially chronic issues, consider these rules:

• Discomfort ≤ 5/10 during the set is usually OK if it eases soon after.
• No sharp, pinching, or shifting pain—those are red flags.
• Discomfort that you ease into after several reps or sets is a good sign that the load is safe and effective.
• Morning‑after test: Soreness that feels like workout fatigue is fine; increased swelling, limp, or joint instability means back off.

Gauging "Just‑Right" Resistance

• Choose a weight that makes the last several reps of a 12–15‑rep set shaky but doable. It should feel challenging!
• Tempo & form beat heavy pounds. Slow the lowering phase to add load without piling on weights.
• Start with body weights or bands, then add free weights or machines as confidence grows.

Fear Avoidance: When Hurt ≠ Harm

It's natural to associate pain with damage. But when it comes to chronic pain or ongoing rehab, the opposite is often true. Many people don't make progress because they aren't loading their tissues enough, not because they're overdoing it. Inactivity reduces your pain threshold, weakens stabilizing muscles, and can lead to a vicious cycle of deconditioning and hypersensitivity.［4,5］

In fact, it's far more common in my practice to see clients under-loading than overloading. And while this isn't a pass to push through sharp or unsafe pain, it is a reminder that you're probably capable of more than you think.

That's where working with a personal trainer, physical therapist, or sports chiropractor becomes so valuable—they help you build strength safely and confidently, one step at a time.

Tip: Reframe mild soreness or discomfort as a retraining signal, not a danger alarm. Progress comes from gradually exposing your body—and brain—to controlled challenges.

Regressions & Smart Workarounds

Sometimes an exercise isn't right for you right now. Try:

• Changing the angle (e.g., incline push‑ups vs. floor).
• Reducing lever length (bent‑knee instead of straight‑leg raises).
• Isometrics (holding tension) when movement itself is provocative.
• Alternating unilateral → bilateral moves to share load.

There's always a way to stress the target tissue without provoking symptoms.

When to Seek Expert Guidance

Factors like injury severity, medical history, age, and sports demands tweak the Goldilocks window. A seasoned physical therapist or sports‑minded chiropractor can:

• Design criteria‑based progressions.
• Monitor pain and performance metrics.
• Adjust load, volume, and rest in real-time.

Key Takeaways

• Adaptations need a challenge—just not chaos.
• Aim for mild, tolerable discomfort (≤ 5/10) that subsides within 24 hours.
• Adjust exercises, don't abandon them.
• Consistent, progressive resistance training is the fastest route to resilience and lasting pain relief.

Ready to find your Goldilocks load? Book an appointment or drop into our clinic. Our hybrid team of chiropractors and personal trainers will guide you every step (and rep) of the way.

References

1. Toumi H, Best TM. The biology and mechanics of tendon and ligament healing. Phys Sportsmed. 2003;31(8):32–40. https://doi.org/10.3810/psm.2003.08.466
2. Silbernagel KG, Thomeé R, Eriksson BI, Karlsson J. Continued sports activity using a pain-monitoring model during rehabilitation in patients with Achilles tendinopathy. Am J Sports Med. 2007;35(6):897–906. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546506298279
3. Malliaras P, Barton CJ, Reeves ND, Langberg H. Achilles and patellar tendinopathy loading programmes: A systematic review comparing clinical outcomes and identifying potential mechanisms for effectiveness. Sports Med. 2013;43(4):267–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0019-z
4. González Aroca J, et al. Fear-avoidance beliefs and their relationship with shoulder pain and disability. J Clin Med. 2023;12(10):3376. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/10/3376
5. Luque-Suarez A, et al. The fear-avoidance model in chronic musculoskeletal pain: A meta-analytic structural equation modeling study. Pain. 2019;160(3):983–992. https://journals.lww.com/pain/Fulltext/2019/03000/The_fear_avoidance_model_in_chronic.22.aspx

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