Movement and physiotherapy

Some people living with chronic pain previously had a very active life, and getting active again is a common goal.

Others find it helps to be more active and build fitness – even if it wasn’t a big part of their life before pain arrived.

Some may be avoiding physical activity due to worries it will make the pain worse. These fears are normal and understandable – when you live with pain, the last thing you want to do is aggravate it. However it’s important to remember that getting fit and staying active is good for your sleep and for your pain.

Enjoyable, rewarding and regular activity builds confidence and lessens the struggles of persistent pain.

There are a range of options from gentle movement that can be done sitting down, improving balance, stretching and mobility, as well as group activities and exercise regimes suitable for people with chronic pain. Support and advice from physiotherapists can be really helpful in guiding you and giving you confidence to move more despite having pain.

The key to getting fitter is to keep it going every day. There are several ways to maintain regular activity levels:

• Do physical activities that you enjoy
  If you enjoy what you’re doing then you’ll be more motivated to keep it up. This could be anything from taking a morning walk through to swimming, playing badminton or gentle Tai Chi or Yoga guided by an app.
• Learn the skill of pacing
  Pacing is a really useful skill as it guides you to do the level of activity that is right for your body. When you pace your activity, you take a break before pain, tiredness or exhaustion forces you to stop. You can learn more about the skill of pacing in Ten Footsteps.
• Try doing activities outside
  Being outside in the daylight helps your body clock to stay in balance with day and night time patterns. It can help reduce feelings of stress too.

Classes and support

There are a huge number of activities and groups locally to help you move more.

Our Health Walks scheme welcomes over 300 regular walkers every week, at locations across North Somerset. Walks are led by friendly volunteers who have all attended Health Walk Leader training to ensure a safe and enjoyable walk for all.

You might like to join a Good Boost class. These classes provide a flexible approach to supporting you with muscle or joint pain through gentle aqua and land-based exercise rehabilitation classes.

There are also Fibromyalgia Steps to Get Active classes, supporting you to take part in physical activity gradually and build up activity levels slowly over time, tailored to your condition and ability. Steps to Get Active is a funded programme for adults in North Somerset living with long term health conditions, offering up to 12 weeks free physical activity group classes.

Sometimes called the ‘knee or hip class’, the ESCAPE-pain course is a free rehabilitation programme designed to reduce pain and disability for people who have had knee and/or hip pain for at least three months. It is delivered by exercise instructors, who have received special training from NHS physiotherapists and community teams.

Go4Free is a project in North Somerset which aims to increase participation in physical activity across all age ranges, by providing free passes to a class or session from a list. You must be referred to the Go4Free scheme by a Social Prescriber, Healthy Lifestyles Advisor or your GP.

Age UK provides a number of exercise classes for anyone aged over 50 in North Somerset, including Ageing Well and Falls Prevention sessions, plus general fitness, strength and balance, chair-based exercises, swimming, fishing, Yoga, Tai Chi and more. As well as being great for improving health and wellbeing, the sessions are very sociable and a lot of fun!

The MSK app has been developed locally to help self-manage your muscle, bone, and joint (musculoskeletal, MSK) injuries and conditions. It covers a range of MSK injuries and conditions, such as back pain and ankle pain, and is designed to help you recover and understand when to seek help.

Find lots more information and tips about increasing your physical activity in our Get active section, and take a look at our Active Directory which outlines all the local activities and classes we know of in North Somerset.

Physiotherapy for chronic pain

When you live with chronic pain you might be offered an appointment with a physiotherapist as a way to help you manage some of your symptoms. They will assess you then you’ll work together to agree a treatment plan. Treatment may include advice about movement, posture and finding ways of achieving your goals.

How to access physiotherapy?

Ask your GP or doctor’s surgery staff to make a referral on your behalf.

Musculoskeletal Interface (MSKI) Service

The MSKI Service offers assessment and treatment for people with musculoskeletal (MSK) and/or spinal conditions in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The service is aimed at people who need more specialist musculoskeletal assessment, for example if you have persistent pain and have not responded to normal GP care such as advice and pain relief, or other treatment such as physiotherapy or podiatry.

The MSKI Service is run by expert clinicians, including specialist physiotherapists and podiatrists, and GPs with a special interest. They aim to determine the best course of care using clinical expertise, evidence and shared decision-making.

How to access Musculoskeletal Interface (MSKI) Service?

Ask your GP or doctor’s surgery staff to make a referral on your behalf.