Living With Chronic Pain: What You Should Know & How Physiotherapy Can Help
Living with chronic pain can feel like an uphill battle. It affects not only your body but also your daily life—working, spending time with loved ones, or even simple things like walking or cooking.
Over time, many people start to avoid activities that trigger pain, leading to muscle weakness and stiffness. This “use it or lose it” cycle often makes the problem worse.
At MoveMed Physiotherapy, we understand that chronic pain is complex. It’s not just about sore muscles or stiff joints—your mental well-being plays a huge role too. People dealing with long-term pain often experience frustration, poor sleep, mood changes, or even depression. That’s why treatment needs to go beyond pain relief—it has to address both the physical and lifestyle aspects of recovery.
Why Does Chronic Pain Happen?
Most of us are familiar with acute pain—the kind that comes after an injury or surgery. But sometimes, even after the body heals, the pain doesn’t go away. This is known as chronic pain, and it’s now recognised as a condition on its own. Research shows that:
Chronic pain can drastically reduce quality of life.
It often leads to time away from work or school.
Its prevalence increases with age, but it’s not an inevitable part of aging.
Effective treatment can improve both physical function and overall well-being.
Common chronic pain conditions include back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, post-surgery pain, and nerve-related pain. Left unmanaged, these issues can spiral into reduced activity, weaker muscles, and even more pain.
How Physiotherapy Helps Chronic Pain
Unlike medication that only masks symptoms, physiotherapy addresses the root causes of pain. At MoveMed, we believe in highly personalised care—there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Here’s how we help:
Accurate Assessment: We take time to understand your condition, lifestyle, and goals. Chronic pain is different for everyone.
Manual Therapy: Hands-on treatment helps reduce stiffness, improve circulation, and ease tension.
Targeted Exercise Programs: Guided strengthening and mobility exercises help you regain function and prevent disuse syndrome. For example, simple corrective movements like scapular retraction (see our linked post) can reduce strain on the neck and upper back.
Chronic Conditions Support: Whether it’s arthritis, nerve-related pain, or post-surgical recovery, our physiotherapists design treatment plans that adapt to your needs. We focus on both pain relief and long-term function.
Lifestyle & Stress Management: Since stress worsens pain, we guide you in posture correction, relaxation techniques, and small lifestyle changes that make recovery sustainable.
Moving Beyond Pain: Exercise & Relaxation
Two of the most powerful tools for managing chronic pain are movement and stress reduction.
Keep Moving: Safe exercises maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility. Even gentle cardio or stretching can help reduce pain flare-ups and build resilience.
Relax Your Body: Stress creates muscle tension, which increases pain. Practices like yoga, breathing techniques, or simply taking time to relax can ease strain and improve your mental state.
At MoveMed, we blend these approaches into your recovery plan so you feel supported not just in the clinic, but in your daily life too.
Final Thoughts
Chronic pain may feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to define your life. With the right guidance, you can break the cycle of inactivity and weakness, improve your quality of life, and regain control. At MoveMed Physiotherapy, our team is here to help you every step of the way—with personalised recovery plans, hands-on treatment, and lifestyle support tailored just for you.
About MoveMed Physiotherapy Singapore
At MoveMed, we support your recovery through purposeful movement.
Our professionally trained physiotherapists at Novena provide tailored sessions in a well-equipped facility—featuring treatment beds, shockwave therapy machines and more —to help you regain strength, mobility, and confidence.
Whether it’s pre-op rehab, pain management or post-op rehab, our team is here to guide your journey every step of the way.
📞 Call / WhatsApp: +65 9627 2000
📧 Email: hello@movemedsg.com
Regain control. Move better. Live stronger.
