I bet nobody told you this about scars
"Brainy What-Why-How"
Your weekly nibble of science-backed goodness to help you move better and feel unstoppable.
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What (the TL:DR)
That old scar you have?
The one from surgery, childbirth, a burn, an accident, or that one time you thought, "Yeah, I can definitely jump over that"?
It might still be affecting how you move.
And no, years later it doesn't need to be itchy, stingy, weirdly sensitive, or numb either.
Why (the geeky psychology)
Your brain keeps maps of your body.
Lots of maps.
There are maps for knowing where your joints are, maps for remembering how to perform movements, and maps for tracking what's happening in your skin.
Basically, your brain is running a very elaborate internal Google Maps of You™.
The clearer those maps are, the easier it is for your brain to understand what's happening in your body and how safely you can move through the world.
But whenever your skin experiences trauma—surgery, tattoos, burns, cuts, scrapes, and so on—the information coming from that area can become a little fuzzy.
Think of it like somebody spilled coffee all over that section of the map ☕️ 🗺️
This is often why an area can feel numb or less sensitive after it heals.
Your brain isn't getting the same quality of information from that patch of skin anymore.
And weirdly, the opposite can happen too: sometimes a healed area becomes ridiculously sensitive. Ever had that happen, {{ subscriber.first_name }}?
You lightly brush against it and your nervous system reacts like you've just been attacked by an angry wasp with a personal vendetta.
Or it itches.
For no apparent reason.
At 3 a.m.
Because apparently your nervous system enjoys a bit of recreational chaos.
What's happening is that your brain is trying to interpret incomplete information. Without a clear map, it sometimes makes inaccurate guesses about what's going on.
And here's where movement gets interesting.
When your brain doesn't have a clear picture of part of your body, it often feels less safe.
So if you've got an old surgical scar around your shoulder, for example, your brain may put the brakes on movements that require a lot of confidence in that shoulder.
Not because the shoulder is broken.
Not because you're weak.
But because the brain is essentially saying:
"Listen, I'm missing some data here and I'd rather not launch us into anything adventurous until I know what's going on."
Which means that sometimes a scar can influence flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, or even a skill you've been struggling with for years.
How (apply it to your life)
Scar rehab is absolutely a thing. And often it's surprisingly simple.
You can help improve your brain's map of an area by providing lots of varied, non-threatening sensory input.
That might mean:
Rubbing
Tapping
Pinching
Tickling
Patting
Gentle scratching
Vibration
Hot/cold
Try this:
Test a movement. Maybe it's a squat, a balance, a shoulder stretch, or a skill you've been working on.
Spend at least 60 seconds gently scratching every area of skin that's had to heal. Scars. Burns. Tattooed areas. C-section scars. Anywhere your skin has gone through a healing process.
Retest the movement.
Notice whether it feels easier, smoother, stronger, more stable, or simply different.
Now, if touching a scar feels painful, don't go charging in like a Labrador who's just spotted a tennis ball.
Start around the edges.
Rub, tap, or gently scratch the surrounding area where things feel comfortable.
Over time, as your brain builds a clearer map, you can gradually work closer and closer to the sensitive spot.
It's simply giving your nervous system better information.
Because brains make better decisions when they have better maps.
And just for fun, here are some screenshots from my WhatsApp Community of Neurology Students where we were discussing exactly this:
Let me know if you try it!
Adell 💋
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