Published on September 5, 2025 by James Shute
Introduction
Living with chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide, often leading to a cycle of decreased activity and increased discomfort. If you’re among the estimated 3.4 million Australians dealing with chronic pain, you might be surprised to learn that exercise—when done correctly—can be one of your most powerful allies in managing your condition.
This approach is particularly relevant for individuals recovering from injuries, those with conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia, seniors looking to maintain mobility, and anyone who has been told to “just rest” but continues to experience persistent pain.
Here’s a question that might resonate with you: What if the very thing you’ve been avoiding due to pain could actually be the key to reducing it?
What is Exercise Physiology for Chronic Pain?
Exercise physiology for chronic pain is a specialized, evidence-based approach to physical activity that utilizes scientific understanding of how the body responds to exercise to reduce pain levels, improve function, and enhance quality of life for people living with persistent pain conditions. Unlike general fitness routines, exercise physiology interventions are carefully tailored to each individual’s pain patterns, physiological limitations, and recovery goals by qualified exercise physiologists.
The approach works on the principle that controlled, gradual movement helps retrain the nervous system’s pain response while strengthening muscles, improving flexibility, and promoting the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals called endorphins. Exercise physiologists understand the complex physiological mechanisms underlying chronic pain and design programs that target these specific pathways. Common conditions that benefit from exercise physiology interventions include chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic neck pain, and post-surgical pain that has persisted beyond normal healing time.
Risk factors for chronic pain include previous injuries, sedentary lifestyle, poor posture, stress, and certain medical conditions, making exercise physiology interventions a crucial component for both treatment and prevention.
Benefits of Exercise for Chronic Pain
Pain Reduction and Management Regular, appropriate exercise can reduce pain intensity by 10-50% in many chronic pain sufferers. For example, a person with chronic low back pain might find that gentle yoga and walking reduce their daily pain from a 7/10 to a 4/10 on the pain scale.
Improved Physical Function Exercise helps restore range of motion, strength, and endurance. A patient with knee arthritis might progress from struggling to climb stairs to confidently hiking nature trails after following a structured exercise program.
Enhanced Mood and Mental Health Physical activity releases endorphins and reduces stress hormones, helping combat the depression and anxiety that often accompany chronic pain. Research shows that Australians who exercise regularly report 25% better mood scores compared to sedentary individuals with chronic pain.
Better Sleep Quality Moderate exercise can improve sleep duration and quality, which is crucial since poor sleep often worsens pain perception. Many patients report falling asleep faster and waking up feeling more refreshed.
Increased Independence As strength and mobility improve, individuals can return to activities they thought were lost forever, from gardening to playing with grandchildren.
Reduced Reliance on Pain Medications Studies indicate that people following structured exercise physiology programs often reduce their pain medication usage by 30-40% while maintaining or improving their pain management.
Tips for At-Home Care and Exercise
Start Low and Go Slow Begin with 5-10 minutes of gentle activity daily, such as walking or simple stretching. Gradually increase duration by 2-3 minutes each week as your body adapts.
Focus on Low-Impact Activities Swimming, water walking, cycling, and yoga are excellent options that provide benefits without excessive joint stress. Even chair exercises can be highly effective for those with mobility limitations.
Practice the “2-Hour Rule” If your pain increases significantly two hours after exercise and doesn’t return to baseline within 24 hours, you may have done too much. Reduce intensity or duration for your next session.
Incorporate Daily Movement Take short walking breaks every hour, do gentle neck rolls while watching TV, or perform ankle circles while sitting at your desk.
Create a Pain and Activity Journal Track your pain levels, activities, and how you feel afterward. This helps identify patterns and optimal exercise timing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Doing too much too soon, leading to pain flares
- Completely stopping activity during pain flares instead of modifying intensity
- Focusing only on cardio and ignoring strength and flexibility training
- Exercising through severe pain rather than working within comfortable limits
How Movement Rehabilitation Can Help
As exercise physiologists we work with you to improve your quality of life through exercise.
We study the way your body responds to movement and help you make the most of these responses to prevent and manage chronic diseases. As one of the Movement Rehabilitation team, you get access to our clinical understanding of what goes on in your body. We coach and educate you on how you can use your body to improve and maintain your health.
As science continues to prove the benefits of exercise on treating chronic health conditions, we are working on making exercise accessible to people of all fitness levels. We provide everyday people with the knowledge and support to engage in everyday life.
Ageing, injury and disease all play a part in preventing us from doing the things we love. Whether your goal is to walk the dog without back pain, keep up with the grandkids or compete nationally, you are in safe hands with the team at Movement Rehabilitation.
“We believe exercise is medicine” – Exercise and Sport Science Australia
Exercise therapy for chronic pain isn’t just about pushing through discomfort—it’s about intelligent, progressive movement that works with your body’s natural healing processes. The benefits extend far beyond pain relief, offering improved mood, better sleep, increased independence, and a renewed sense of hope for your future.
Remember, every journey begins with a single step, and with chronic pain, that step doesn’t have to be painful. The key is finding the right program tailored to your specific needs and guided by experienced professionals who understand the complexities of chronic pain.
If you’re ready to take control of your chronic pain through specialized exercise, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s build a pain-free future—together.
Explore more of our wellness resources or book your personalized exercise physiology consultation today!
Book an Appointment
📍 Movement Rehabilitation – 645 Parramatta Road Leichhardt, NSW
📞 0449 703 967
✉️ in**@************************om.au
🌍 www.movementrehabilitation.com.au
For exercise physiology bookings, please book an initial consultation at our clinic for a comprehensive assessment before beginning your personalized program. If you have any questions or need assistance with booking, feel free to call us.
Take the first step toward better pain management with expert exercise physiology at Movement Rehabilitation!
References: Exercise Physiology & Chronic Pain Research
Ambrose, K. R., & Golightly, Y. M. (2015). Physical exercise as non-pharmacological treatment of chronic pain: Why and when. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 29(1), 120-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2015.04.022
Geneen, L. J., Moore, R. A., Clarke, C., Martin, D., Colvin, L. A., & Smith, B. H. (2017). Physical activity and exercise for chronic pain in adults: An overview of Cochrane Reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4), CD011279. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011279.pub3
Hayden, J. A., van Tulder, M. W., Malmivaara, A., & Koes, B. W. (2005). Exercise therapy for treatment of non-specific low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3), CD000335. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000335.pub2
O’Connor, S. R., Tully, M. A., Ryan, B., Bleakley, C. M., Baxter, G. D., Bradley, J. M., & McDonough, S. M. (2015). Walking exercise for chronic musculoskeletal pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96(4), 724-734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2014.12.003
Rice, D., Nijs, J., Kosek, E., Wideman, T., Hasenbring, M. I., Koltyn, K., Graven-Nielsen, T., & Polli, A. (2019). Exercise-induced hypoalgesia in pain-free and chronic pain populations: State of the art and future directions. The Journal of Pain, 20(11), 1249-1266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2019.03.005
Vibe Fersum, K., O’Sullivan, P., Skouen, J. S., Smith, A., & Kvåle, A. (2013). Efficacy of classification-based cognitive functional therapy in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Pain, 17(6), 916-928. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1532-2149.2012.00252.x