Pain Points

One- Pain is good (pain is bad and good is bad).
Having a knee injury helped me understand that the body creates its own natural plaster cast. The pneumatic swelling not only protects the healing joint and keeps it stiff, it also alines the leg. Pain, as with 'anxiety' is there for a purpose.
Pain is bad - we hope for a time when pain and suffering will cease. Some pain, (and some anxiety) is not needed or excessive. But this side of heaven, pain is with us from birth.

Two- Put your worst foot forwards when descending stairs. Opposite when ascending. Is there another metaphysical analogy in there?

Three- Mindfulness worked for me.  Some people think that mindfulness is distraction, going into another world, or relaxation.  It's not.  It's seeing pain as one of many feelings we experience, and not giving it preference over the others. It's accepting it without judgement.  The pain is neither good nor bad - it's just happening and I am experiencing it.  By looking straight at it, again as with the analogy of anxiety, I can see it's extent, power and influence, and how it is shrinks or grows. I live with it, but with everything else as well. It therefore is less dominant and demanding.

Isn't most learning through experience? Perhaps another reason why things are the way they are this side of heaven.