Remember your gruff high school coach’s advice for treating an injury? “Just walk it off.”

Turns out your coach should have been sidelined for making a bad call, because while this strategy might have worked for the odd skinned knee, it’s downright dangerous for serious pain.

Still, a staggering one in 10 Americans reports that he or she has had regular pain for more than a year. Pain is the No. 1 cause of disability in the United States. So why can’t we find relief?

Chronic Pain: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore It