111: Physiotherapy, Mind, Body and the Social Component

Airing Pain

This edition is supported by friends of Pain Concern.

Director of CSPC Physiotherapy in Leeds, Alison Rose, specialises in working with high-level athletes, particularly those with complex injury histories. Rose speaks to Paul about her experience with chronic pain as being subjective for both athletes and non-athletes, explaining it as a unique “puzzle” that needs to be put together to find the core mechanisms that cause pain. We also hear about the many unexpected physical relationships within our bodies that cause pain, as well as the importance of social networks.

We then hear from Cardiff University Professor of Medical Education Ann Taylor. Professor Taylor speaks about her work exploring how those with chronic pain perceive non-pain related information, and how this information is processed through “fear circuitry” which can have detrimental effects on self-management. Professor Taylor promotes more focus on the ‘social’ aspect of the biopsychosocial model and the benefit of constructive conversations between patients and their healthcare professionals, something which Pain Concern’s Navigator Tool aims to do.

We hear again from Professor Mark Johnson of Leeds Beckett University, contributor to Airing Pain 110, about the importance of delivering healthcare with a social emphasis.

Contributors:

• Alison Rose MCSP HCPC, Director of CSPC Physiotherapy, Leeds
• Professor Ann Taylor, Programme Director for the MSc in Pain Management at Cardiff University
• Professor Mark Johnson, Professor of Pain and Analgesia and Director of the Centre for Pain Research, Leeds Beckett University.

More information:

• NHS England site on Social Prescribing: https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/social-prescribing/
• Men's Sheds: https://menssheds.org.uk/
• Talking to Your Doctor, Pain Concern's Navigator Tool: http://painconcern.org.uk/talking-to-your-doctor-3/.