What is a functional problem of the body?

Rick Olderman

Physical Therapy

The body has a functional problem when it does not move correctly due to weakness, impaired range of motion, previous injury, or habitual movement patterns. Functional problems typically create pain and may cause physical changes to tissues.

More About this Book

Fixing You: Back Pain: Self-Treatment for Sciatica, Bulging and Herniated Disks, Stenosis, Degenerative Disks, and other diagnoses.

Back pain is often due to larger problems, such as poor walking habits or pelvic muscle tightness , that create vulnerabilities in the spine. This is why most people have trouble fixing their...

Continue Learning about Pain

When you live with chronic musculoskeletal pain, exercising might be the last thing you feel like doing. But it pays to keep moving. Workouts encourag...

Debra Fulghum Bruce PhD

There is some new information that women may actually feel pain more often, or it may feel more ...

Organize your pain management plan around these 7 pain relief strategies.

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Pain

Pain is your body telling you that you have hurt it. This is a good thing, important when you are injured. It can also help diagnose problems with your body. Sometimes pain continues long after it's necessary. Amputees report phantom pain in the legs or arms they no longer have. There are different kinds of pain, and describing the type is useful in diagnosis: recurring, constant, steady, knife-like, radiating, sharp, dull. Medicines that dull pain are analgesics. Those that kill all feeling are anesthetics.

Learn More