Exercise Pain Free: What I Learned from Eileen Kopsaftis

Sandro Torres
19 hours ago
3 min read

Exercise Pain Free: What I Learned from Eileen Kopsaftis

(How to Exercise Without Pain – Glenwood Springs, Basalt & Roaring Fork Valley)

Have you ever felt pain while exercising and thought that maybe working out is not for you?

Or maybe you think that pain is just part of getting older and you just have to live with it.

I hear this all the time from our members.

That’s why I was very interested when I had the opportunity to interview Eileen Kopsaftis. I can tell you, I wanted to keep asking questions, but I was not prepared to go deeper. She goes beyond just fixing pain—she understands the body in a completely different way.

Stay with me, because what I learned can help you exercise without pain.

Who Is Eileen Kopsaftis?

Eileen Kopsaftis is a BS, PT, FAFS, CMI, NE. She is the bestselling author of Pain Culprits! and Aging Culprits!.

She is a pain consultant, joint biomechanics and movement expert, and nutrition educator with over 30 years of experience.

Book cover: "Pain Culprits" with skeletal figures showing joint connections. Text reads "Your knee pain may cause by your ankle immobility."

She has completed more than 2,000 hours of post-graduate education, including a fellowship in Applied Functional Science with the Gray Institute. She also holds certifications in the MELT Method and nutrition education.

Lesson 1: Treat the Cause, Not the Symptom

One of the biggest mistakes many professionals make is focusing on where the pain is instead of what is causing it.

If you only treat the symptom, you will never fix the problem.

To live without pain, you must find the cause.

A woman in workout attire bends forward in a fitness room with exercise equipment. Text reads: "Make sure your body is functioning properly to avoid pain."

Lesson 2: The Pain Is Not Always Where You Feel It

This is something that really stood out to me.

The problem is usually not where you feel the pain.

For example, if your knee hurts, the problem might be your ankle not moving properly.

So instead of focusing only on the knee, you need to find the real issue. That requires proper testing and understanding how the body works as a whole.

Lesson 3: Train the Right Way

Many athletes get injured not because they train, but because they don’t train properly.

If you are a baseball pitcher, you need to train the movements you use in your sport.

Your body needs to be prepared for what you ask it to do.

Lesson 4: Don’t Stop Moving

When people feel pain, the first thing they do is stop.

In many cases, that’s the worst thing you can do.

You need to keep moving, but do it intelligently and get help as soon as possible.

(Of course, we are not talking about serious injuries like broken bones or major tears.)

A woman in a white coat faces a mirror showing an older reflection. The book cover "Aging Culprits!" is visible. Text reads about pain focus.

Lesson 5: Pain vs Discomfort

This is very important.

Pain will get worse as time passes.

Discomfort will not get worse and may improve as you continue moving.

Knowing the difference can save you from making the wrong decisions.

Lesson 6: The Real Causes of Pain

Eileen explained that there are key factors that contribute to pain:

Diet – Inflammatory foods can increase pain
Dehydration – Not drinking enough water affects your body
Medication– There are medications that cause pain and muscle dysfunction such as statin and antibiotics
Lack of functional training – Your body needs to work as a system