Pain
Understanding Pain
What is Pain?
Pain is not just something you “feel” in your body — it is an experience created by your brain.
It acts as a protective alarm system, designed to keep you safe from harm.
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Pain is produced by the brain and nervous system
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It is influenced by perceived threat, not just injury
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Pain does not always equal tissue damage
When working well, pain helps prevent injury.
However, sometimes this system becomes overprotective.
Example
A common example of this mechanism working correctly:
In this situation, pain acted appropriately as an effective warning signal to protect you.
What would happen if my body and nervous system was overprotective?
In this situation, the nervous system has become overly sensitive, producing a stronger than necessary response.
Why Does the Body Become Overprotective?
Your body’s response to pain is shaped by your past experiences — not just injuries, but your overall health and environment.
Factors such as:
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Previous injuries
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Illness
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Stress levels
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Sleep quality
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Activity levels
all influence how sensitive your nervous system becomes.
Over time, especially in persistent or chronic pain, the body can learn to be more protective than necessary, increasing pain responses even when there is no ongoing damage.
How Do We Fix It?
To reduce pain and calm an overprotective nervous system, we need to retrain the body to tolerate movement and load safely — without triggering unnecessary pain.
At our Newcastle physiotherapy clinic, this is done through a structured, step-by-step approach:
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Start with manageable levels of movement and exercise
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Gradually increase load based on your response
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Monitor symptoms during activity and the following morning
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Build confidence in your body again
Over time, this process helps to:
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Improve tissue strength and resilience
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Reduce pain sensitivity
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Restore normal movement and function
Is It Safe to Exercise with Pain?
In most cases, yes — it is safe to exercise with some level of pain.
Pain does not always mean damage, and avoiding movement altogether can often make things worse. In fact, the right type and amount of exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce pain and improve recovery.
That said, every injury is different. Getting guidance from a physiotherapist ensures you are loading your body safely and effectively.
A key part of recovery is gradually exposing the painful area to movement and load. This helps your body rebuild tolerance, reduce sensitivity, and regain confidence.
Using the Traffic Light System
For most people — particularly those with overuse injuries or persistent pain — the traffic light system is a simple and effective way to guide activity:
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It helps you decide when to push, modify, or rest
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It keeps you active without overloading the injury
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It provides clear boundaries for safe progression
👉 Most importantly:
How your pain feels the next morning is often more important than how it feels during exercise.
How Our Newcastle Physiotherapists Help
Our physiotherapists guide you through this process with an individualised treatment plan, combining hands-on care and targeted exercise.
Strength & Exercise Therapy
Build strength, improve control, and address underlying weaknesses contributing to pain
Gradual Load Progression
A clear, structured program tailored to your goals — including guidance on frequency, intensity, and progression
Movement Retraining
Improve movement patterns and reduce unnecessary stress on painful areas
Taping
Provides short-term relief by offloading sensitive structures, allowing you to move more comfortably
Dry Needling
Targets muscle tightness and sensitivity to help reduce pain and improve movement
👉 Looking for expert help with pain in Newcastle?
Our experienced physiotherapists can guide you through a clear plan to reduce pain and get you back to doing what you enjoy.