Movement and massage each offer benefits for chronic pain, but together they can be even more effective.

Massage Prepares the System

Massage can reduce guarding, calm the nervous system, and increase body awareness. This often makes movement feel easier and less threatening.

Movement Reinforces the Change

Movement helps the brain apply that sense of safety to real-life activities — bending, reaching, walking, and lifting.

Massage says, “Your body is safe.” Movement asks, “Can you believe it while you move?”

Together, they create lasting change.

A Shift From Fixing to Supporting

This combined approach moves away from trying to “fix” pain and toward supporting the body’s natural adaptability.

Integrated sessions that combine hands-on work with guided movement can be particularly effective for persistent pain. If you’re curious whether this approach is right for you, an initial consultation can help clarify next steps.

Massage and the Nervous System

Massage provides slow, rhythmic, reassuring touch — a powerful signal of safety to the nervous system.

This type of input can:

• Reduce stress hormones
• Increase relaxation responses
• Lower overall pain sensitivity

Rather than forcing tissues to change, massage often works by changing how the brain interprets sensation.

Pain Relief Without Forcing Change

In chronic pain, tissues are rarely “stuck” or “knotted” in a way that needs aggressive fixing. Deep, painful massage can sometimes reinforce the nervous system’s threat response.

A gentler, more responsive approach can be more effective, especially when the goal is calming rather than correcting.

Feeling Safe in Your Body Again

For many people with chronic pain, massage is one of the few times they feel truly at ease in their body. That feeling of safety is not a luxury — it’s therapeutic.

If traditional massage has felt too intense or unhelpful in the past, a pain-informed approach may feel very different. You can read more about how massage is used within a chronic pain framework, or book a session focused on comfort, safety, and nervous system support.

One of the most common fears among people with chronic pain is movement itself.

“If I move, I’ll make it worse.”

This fear is understandable — pain is designed to protect us. But over time, avoiding movement can actually increase pain and stiffness, reduce confidence, and reinforce the nervous system’s belief that the body is unsafe.

Movement as Information

Movement sends information to the brain. When movement is slow, controlled, and non-threatening, it can help re-educate the nervous system.

Instead of signalling danger, gentle movement can communicate:

• “This is safe.”
• “I can move without harm.”
• “My body is capable.”

Over time, this can reduce pain sensitivity.

It’s Not About Pushing Through

Helpful movement for chronic pain is not about:

• No pain, no gain
• Forcing flexibility
• Training through flare-ups

Instead, it focuses on:

• Small, manageable ranges
• Curiosity rather than judgement
• Consistency over intensity

Even subtle movements — breathing, pelvic tilts, shoulder rolls, or walking — can be meaningful when done with awareness.

Rebuilding Trust

Chronic pain often breaks trust between the mind and body. Gentle movement helps rebuild that relationship.

Each pain-free or pain-neutral movement becomes evidence that the body is not as fragile as it feels.

If movement feels intimidating or confusing, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Personalised guidance can help you find movements that feel safe, achievable, and relevant to your daily life. Explore movement sessions designed specifically for people living with pain.

Chronic Pain Isn’t Just in Your Head — It’s in Your Nervous System

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide, yet it’s still widely misunderstood. Many people are told their scans look “normal,” that nothing is structurally wrong, or worse — that the pain is all in their head. This can feel invalidating and deeply frustrating.

The truth is more nuanced and far more hopeful: chronic pain is real, and it is often driven by changes in the nervous system rather than ongoing tissue damage.

Understanding Chronic Pain

Acute pain is the body’s alarm system. You sprain an ankle, touch a hot stove, or pull a muscle — pain signals danger and encourages rest and protection while healing occurs.

Chronic pain is different. When pain lasts longer than expected (often beyond three to six months), the nervous system can become overly sensitive. The brain and spinal cord begin to interpret normal sensations — movement, pressure, touch — as threatening, even when tissues are healed.

This process is sometimes called central sensitisation. The alarm system becomes too good at its job.

Why This Matters

If pain is driven by nervous system sensitivity, then purely mechanical fixes — stretching harder, strengthening endlessly, or “fixing posture” — may not fully resolve it.

Instead, effective approaches often focus on calming the nervous system, rebuilding trust in the body, and restoring safe, confident movement.

This is where movement and massage can play a powerful role.

A Message of Hope

A sensitive nervous system is not a broken one. The brain is adaptable, and with the right inputs, pain can change.

Understanding pain is often the first step toward reducing it.

If this description resonates with your experience, working with your body rather than against it can be a powerful next step. You can learn more about my approach to chronic pain and movement on The Movement Specialist website, or book an initial session to explore what feels safe and supportive for you.

Another little article with some input from me, take a look…

Click Here

How many of you include passive or active stretching in your teaching to ‘lengthen a muscle/muscle group’?  How many of you identify ‘short and tight’ muscles as precursors to inhibition of movement or pain?  Most of us do, right?

Here’s the thing; you can’t change the length of a muscle…

Muscles do not change length when ‘stretched’.  You are not physically changing the length of any fibre, not laying down more sarcomeres in a chain, you’re not ‘pulling it’; so, what are we doing?

To change the actual length of a muscle it would have to be immobilised for around 6 to 8 weeks like when you have an elbow in a cast, with the elbow kept in a flexed position.  In this instance the muscles detect a new neutral position of the joint and reduces sarcomeres from within the chain on the bicep, whilst laying more sarcomeres down in the chains in the triceps.

So, our 10 minutes of passive or active ‘stretching’ will do essentially nothing.  But we ‘feel’ something; it feels like it lengthens, doesn’t it?  This is sensitivity at the end of the joint range of motion (ROM).  When we initially pull into a stretch, the end ROM is sensitive and the nervous system responds with a ‘pain’ like signal.  When we hold the angle, we desensitise the nervous system and feel a reduction in that ‘pain’ signal so we can move further into the joint.

 

Why is this important?

 

It has far reaching consequences for managing pain in the sense that reduction of pain can be facilitated purely through the mechanism of desensitisation i.e. relaxation.  An overly stimulated nervous system will kick back pain signals even when there is no injury or even after an injury has recovered.  Most soft tissues will recover within 4-6 weeks; after that the pain sensation is a central nervous system issue and needs to be soothed.

 

Beliefs

Unfortunately, belief systems are very powerful and we live in a cultural dimension which dictates that, pathology leads to pain; that pain has to mean injury, and that injury means inhibition.  None of these things however, are related.

On viewing X-rays and scans from tens of thousands of participants in a study, it was found that individuals suffering pain in seemingly dysfunctional joints, had similar pathologies in other joints without any pain.  Therefore, it was not the pathology that was causing the pain, it may have been the trauma of an injuring event or associated stresses in an individual’s life at the time of initial injury, that maintained an overly stimulated nervous system and subsequent pain signals.

That being said, we must not ‘rubbish’ our clients’ long held beliefs in their bodies inhibitions, instead it has value to submit to their current beliefs systems and gently but purposely engage them in a new narrative over time.

 

So what do we do?

Taking joints to the end of the range and facilitating desensitisation is in itself, a relaxing activity that can reduce pain.  So, stretching isn’t redundant it just doesn’t behave in the way that we thought.  But, we can further encourage desensitisation by creating and facilitating an environment which calms the nervous system e.g. using a calm voice, encouraging release of tension, using gentle music, subtle scents etc.  We can also change our narrative and start using different language to re-educate our clients ‘e.g. Can you feel the sensitivity in that joint (not muscle)? Can you relax into it?  Let it melt away.’

It’s important that clients also understand that ROM gains made through practise can be 100% reversed after 4 weeks of inactivity, so encouraging home routines are important for their psychology; their need to feel that they are improving all the time and maintaining their physical well-being.  This in itself is important for calming a stressed nervous system, i.e. not getting annoyed with oneself for perceived ‘steps backwards’.

Try and introduce more life-based mindfulness into their practise like asking them to relate movement to things they do outside of their lesson, so that when they are not in class; they are walking down the street etc., maybe they focus for 5 minutes on lengthening their stride to open the hips like in knee stretches on the reformer etc.

To summarise, whilst we might not be changing muscle lengths when we ‘stretch’, it still has value overall to our wellbeing.   By holding stretches we desensitise that end ROM, calm the nervous system and that in itself promotes an overall feeling of release from ‘tension’ and its associated pains. Focus on relaxation into movement and promote the ethos of ‘taking time to relax’ in life by teaching; then leading by example. Include functional exercises for those inhibited by pain e.g. walking with intentional focus as previously suggested, or reaching for things in high places for shoulder inhibition; fundamentally…

 

…calm and soothe yourself and your clients for reduction of pain and release from inhibition.

Written for Balanced Body – April 2017

One of the most challenging periods of my life started on a rainy day in February 2014.  I was training with Yoga teachers at a leisure centre around 30 miles from my home when I slipped on a patch of water, carrying files through the facility’s entrance.  I landed on my left hip, essentially ‘squashing’ my Sacroiliac (SIJ) joint and fracturing T7 (one can only assume through vibrational shock or some kind of violent lateral shunt on landing).   I had been an exercise/Movement Professional for over 15 years at this point and felt that if anyone was able to rehabilitate themselves from such an injury, it was me.

I am writing this 3 years later having sold my fully equipped Pilates and Yoga studio, completely ceased Pilates and Yoga Teacher Training, re-trained to work with children in schools and am waiting (not very patiently) for an SIJ fusion operation to hopefully reduce the consistent pain I have suffered since that fateful day.  I changed my life to try and manage my symptoms but along the way, my entire perspective on movement (and life) changed.

I have a little room at the back of my house in which I can indulge my evolved approach to teaching movement and whilst I may only teach a few hours a week at the moment, my methods have allowed me to walk, work and function at a level that others in my situation may not be able to.  Allow me to explain…

As an experienced Movement Professional (and I do use this title as opposed to Pilates & Yoga Teacher as it more accurately describes my methods) I tried to bridge the gap between rehabilitation, functional movement and fitness training (strengthening and stretching).  I taught classes of 8 (never more) and ‘streamed’ my participants according to ability and background.  But as I struggled through life on pain relieving medication, trying to be the physically competent person I used to be as an example to my clients of why they came to me, I had a kind of ‘awakening’.  In order to manage my own body I needed to tune into it 100% and listen to what it needed in that precise moment, not yesterday, not last week, not last year…..

I looked around my small class one night and my heart sunk as I realised each of my participants needed something different from the next and I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of needing to address each of their individual needs by first exploring their personal awareness.  I had deliberately kept my groups small so that I could individualise but in that moment, even 8 seemed too many.

Unfortunately in a group environment a degree of competition will always creep in between participants or even just within an individual who wants to achieve more than they did the previous session, but for them to progress and understand their bodies I needed that judgement to melt away, I needed them all to be in their bodies, in the moment, in their movements and be mindful in the way that I was learning that I needed to be.

I used to train my students (trainee teachers) to ‘teach’ rather than ‘instruct’ and prided myself on that specification but layering in mindfulness was a new challenge.  The deeper my research into the methods took me, the more complicated I found it to pass on the importance of individual mindfulness both in teaching and in practise.   I found many people just wanted to be ‘told what to do’ and my students wanted ‘rules’ based on ‘don’t do it this way, do it that way’.   Whilst a certain amount of structure is always valuable, I was personally moving on from biomechanics towards a blend of science, with an organic and spiritual understanding of human action.

It was perhaps a more mindful understanding of what my physical well-being needed that led to the very difficult decision to move away from the business and career for which I had fought so hard, fortunately; I do not regret the decision.  It is easier to manage my pain and the volatility of my condition when I am not teaching and moving all day.  However as with all endings there was a beginning.  The transition birthed my Pilates and Yoga manual, blending my understanding of human anatomy and biomechanics with Mindfulness methodology entitled, ‘Opposition in Pilates and Yoga, Newton’s Third Law meets Mindfulness’.

Thanks to positive reviews and sales, I started to think about using the Reformer I had at home (for my own use) to support others in my position and at the risk of sounding ‘fluffy’, the universe heard my thoughts almost immediately and the exact right amount and nature of clients got in contact and asked for my help.

Here’s the ‘thing’, human beings are not ‘mechanical’ we are ‘biological’ and it is not just our physical actions that dictate our muscle behaviour and habits.  Our emotions, nutrition, the weather (high tides/full moons) all impact on our biological condition making it almost impossible to plan for either my own practise or my client’s sessions.  As a result, when I get on the Reformer, I give myself 5 minutes to tune into what my body is telling me it needs.  I need to get in my body and in the moment, in the way I wanted to teach all that time ago.

I mentally scan from head to toe trying to remain ‘non-judgemental’ in the sense that I may know which muscle attaches to which bone but if I feel something different I will explore that through my session. I ask the same of my clients.  Often this leads to a very ‘lop-sided’ session with focus being on ‘how does it feel’ and less about doing the same number of repetitions of something on each side or balancing the body.  If someone comes to me with an imbalance, doing the same thing on each side maintains that imbalance. I we focus on training weaknesses and stretching tightness in an imbalanced way, we effectively create; balance.

This approach has seen me reduce my pain medication to a quarter of what it was, but I still have to be mindful of my body as I go through life, protecting it whilst it remains vulnerable.  My approach has seen one client evolve from an inability to walk to the shop at the end of her road, to being able to go to the gym (mindfully) twice a week (incidentally she used to attend my group classes and my work with her recently has far outweighed any benefit I thought I may have afforded her previously).  It has helped with the tendency towards Obsessive Compulsive disorder in one client and pain management in another; it has helped with fatigue and depression in a post-natal client and motivation in an elderly man.  And as for me, I don’t know if I would have coped with the last few years if I had not found value in practising mindfulness both in movement and in my day to day life.

My world was turned upside down by an accident that could have been prevented if someone had done their job properly.  I live in pain and everything I had, has gone.  But, practising mindfulness has stopped me from sinking into a depression; it has allowed me to value everything I have right now and to enjoy the changes that this different life path has offered me.  A good example of this is that alongside training to be a counsellor I am also currently exploring the possibility of teaching mindfulness in schools. I’m using my experiences to help others.

It is my hope, that after the operation later this year I can look to supporting even more individuals through either Pilates or Yoga methods, who perhaps find that the generalised group class or even private session is not managing their physical well-being sufficiently, for whatever reason.

I hope it is clear that I can highly recommend exploring mindfulness in terms of movement but also, for every human’s fundamental well-being.  It can ensure that all aspects of life can be enjoyed, even the darker times.

You will only remember this life, live ALL of it.

Published January 2016 in ‘Female First’ Magazine.

Why should YOU take up Yoga in 2016?

Yoga has been growing in popularity in the West since the 1980’s as a form of exercise, but Yoga offers so much more than just a tight bottom and a flatter stomach.  Here are 10 reasons why Yoga is suitable for ALL.

• Improve your flexibility

If I had a pound for every time someone told me they couldn’t do Yoga because they were ‘not flexible’ I’d be living in the South of France on a vineyard. Yoga is not ‘for’ the flexible and it is not just about ‘becoming flexible’, Yoga is about finding peace in a busy and stressful world.  Ok, flexibility is a great physical benefit of Yoga, but the right class can teach you how to find a moment of calm in your hectic schedule, both inside and outside of the group class environment.  A gentle Hatha-based beginners’ class should include the teaching of meditation and relaxation along with stretches and poses designed to settle the busy mind and toxic body.

 

• Learn how to breathe fully.

In every-day life we probably use only 20-25% of our breathing capabilities, therefore limiting the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to the blood, muscles, organs, skin, teeth and hair.  Learning to breathe more deeply and more efficiently will encourage a better delivery of nutrients to cells, shinier skin and hair, stronger teeth and greater mobilisation of the ribcage, which leads to increased flexibility in the back and sides of the body.

 

• Learn to respect your body.

We push ourselves too hard; women in particular spend their lives trying to be the ‘perfect mother’, the best they can be at work, a considerate wife or partner whilst trying to maintain a healthy physique on top of that!   When fatigued, I find that the gym is either the first to go, or it’s yet another place for women to push themselves relentlessly in order to achieve the perfectly toned sculptures depicted on the front of fashion glossies and ‘health’ magazines. Yoga is about respecting your body and learning to work with it, not against it.

 

• Find freedom within your body.

In a traditional yoga class the postures gently flow from one to the other, holding for a moment allowing the body to settle and relax before changing position. This allows the muscles to release quietly without strain, leaving you light, fluid and free, as if every part of your anatomy has had some attention.

 

• Sleep better.

The combination of postures, breath work, mediation and relaxation will allow you to clear your mind and feel calm when you go to bed at night.  Reduced muscular tension, efficient oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal will lead to less tension and less toxicity leading to restful sleep.

 

• Improved digestion.

The breath work and muscle activity works to stimulate the peristalsis of the gut by increasing the mobility of the diaphragm, and squeezing the abdominal muscles against the intestines during Pranayama (breathing techniques) or in certain postures.  This encourages a more efficient action of the bowel, reducing trapped wind and calming Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

 

• Increase your strength.

Yoga postures, whilst releasing the tension in some muscles, will be strengthening the muscles elsewhere.  Yoga can help to develop long, lean muscles without accumulating lactic acid, which leads to a burning sensation in the muscles and then soreness a few days later.  You may ache a little, but it’s a ‘good ache’ rather than a painful one.

 

• Find inner/outer peace.

You may have heard people reference Yoga in terms of finding ‘inner peace’ I like to think of it in terms of ‘outer peace’ as well.  During the yoga class, your teacher will guide you through the more relaxing aspects and the sensation of calm will infuse every cell of your very being. But, that calm travels into your peripheral self – projecting that sensation onto others around you and gently simmering down any toxic energy in your home, your office and your social circle.  Positivity and calm is as catching as stress and anxiety.

 

• Improve your balance.

Some Yoga postures require balance, which when used in conjunction with hand mudras (gestures) leads to balance in the mind.  Mudras symbolise balance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.  Balance in the mind can help with manging difficult decisions and volatile environments.

 

• Improve your concentration.

The world we inhabit is noisy, not just through actual noise but because of the constant stimulation we receive from our phones, tablets, laptops, co-workers, family, friends and so on.  It makes it hard to focus on work or an enjoyable hobby or just on what it is you want out of life.  To figure out the great questions in your life, you need to concentrate on what they mean to you.  Are you happy? Are you truly happy? The practise of Yoga can help you find the quietness in your mind that is necessary to focus and find the true meaning of our existence….or just finish a spreadsheet for your manager by Monday!

 

Marie-Claire Prettyman a.k.a ‘The Movement Specialist’

& Director of Fitness Inspired Teacher Training

www.themovementspecialist.co.uk

www.fitt.org.uk