You’ve been experiencing pain for a long time now. Unfortunately there is no magic drug, no special massage or manipulation. This is a complex problem and it can only be solved with patience, persistence and courage! Stay positive, understand this may be a long journey, not a quick fix, but we’ll make it together!

There’s a great saying – ‘a ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for’. When we are in pain we naturally withdraw and seek safety. But it is now known that this can lead to problems in the long term. Part of overcoming pain is venturing back out into the world, extending your boundaries and exploring your whole life – all of it! Start by testing the waters just outside the ‘harbour walls’. One way to do this is to progressively challenge yourself to do things that you find difficult. We call this ‘Graded Exposure’. Little by little, you challenge yourself to do more and more. Recovery should not be a shouting match with your body, but a gentle, diplomatic negotiation… It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen…

Adapted from Explain Pain Supercharged (2017), Lorimer Moseley & David Butler