Understanding Chronic Pain and How Physiotherapy Can Help You Take Back Your Life
Written by Marilena Savino, Registered Physiotherapist and Owner of Restorative Touch Physiotherapy, Hamilton
Approximately 1 in 5 Canadians lives with chronic pain. That’s roughly eight million people experiencing pain that can interfere with daily activities, work, sleep, relationships, and overall quality of life, according to Health Canada’s 2025 National Pain Awareness Week statement. (canada.ca)
Yet many people continue to struggle in silence, believing that pain is simply something they must learn to live with. Can you relate?
Living with chronic pain doesn’t mean you have to stop living your life. At Restorative Touch Physiotherapy, we believe that understanding your pain is an important step toward managing it and improving your quality of life.
What Is Chronic Pain?
Acute pain typically occurs following an injury or illness and often improves as the body heals. Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs for longer than three months. For some people, it continues for years.
It may begin after an injury or surgery, occur alongside an ongoing medical condition, or develop without an identifiable cause. Pain can also persist after tissues have healed. Chronic pain is real, even when its cause is not obvious. (nice.org.uk, canada.ca)
My Personal Experience With Chronic Pain
Having been a competitive rower for over 23 years, I never thought I would find myself living with chronic pain.
As an athlete, I believed that more was better. The stronger I became, the more I thought I could push through anything. The more hours I spent in the gym, the more accomplished I felt. I spent years racing and working hard to achieve numerous championships and medals, often pushing through discomfort along the way.
Then, years later, I found myself having difficulty doing simple activities without pain. Perhaps, as you read this, you recognise something of your own experience.
My experience is personal, and everyone’s pain journey is different. However, it has reinforced how important it is to listen, seek support, and recognise that pushing harder is not always the answer.
How Chronic Pain Can Affect Everyday Life
Do any of these challenges sound familiar?
- Physical limitations: Difficulty walking, exercising, working, or completing everyday tasks.
- Sleep disturbances: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep because of pain.
- Emotional stress: Feelings of frustration, anxiety, or low mood.
- Fatigue: Feeling physically and mentally exhausted by ongoing discomfort.
- Social isolation: Missing activities with family and friends because of pain.
Chronic pain can affect both physical and emotional well-being. These challenges deserve understanding and support—not blame. A personalised care plan may involve several approaches, including physical rehabilitation, medical care, psychological support, and self-management strategies. (canada.ca)
How Physiotherapy Can Help With Chronic Pain
If you have been searching for chronic pain treatment in Hamilton, you may be wondering whether physiotherapy can help, especially if you have been experiencing pain for months or years.
At Restorative Touch Physiotherapy, we recognise that pain is complex and that effective care requires looking beyond symptoms alone. Our approach considers your physical abilities, daily activities, personal goals, and the impact pain has on your life.
Physiotherapy can form part of a broader treatment plan. For chronic primary pain, NICE guidance recommends supervised exercise adapted to a person’s needs, preferences, and abilities, alongside encouragement to remain physically active for long-term health benefits. (nice.org.uk)
Depending on your individual needs, your physiotherapy plan may include:
- A comprehensive assessment: Exploring your symptoms, medical history, movement, physical limitations, and personal goals.
- An individualised exercise program: Building strength, mobility, and endurance gradually, with adjustments based on your response.
- Pain education: Helping you understand factors that can influence pain and why it may persist.
- Movement rehabilitation: Supporting a gradual return to meaningful activities that have become difficult or that you have been avoiding.
- Manual therapy, when appropriate: Considering hands-on treatment as an addition to active rehabilitation, depending on your condition and response.
- Self-management strategies: Developing practical tools for pacing activities, responding to flare-ups, and building confidence in movement.
Where appropriate, we may recommend working with your doctor or other healthcare professionals to address needs beyond physiotherapy.
Our goal is to help you manage pain, improve function, and feel more confident participating in everyday life. Outcomes vary, and improvement does not always mean becoming completely pain-free.
What Can You Do Next?
Choose to seek support
Make an appointment with a trusted healthcare professional to discuss your pain and its impact on your life. Taking that first step can feel difficult, especially if previous treatments have not helped.
Choose a plan tailored to you
Exercises you see on Instagram or other social media platforms may not match your needs, abilities, or stage of rehabilitation. A personalised assessment can help identify an appropriate starting point.
Choose a manageable first step
Making time for your health can be challenging. Cost, work, caregiving responsibilities, and fatigue are real barriers. Start with a step that feels achievable, and talk to your healthcare provider about a plan that fits your circumstances.
Choose to stay open to improvement
Just because your pain has lasted for years does not mean there are no opportunities to improve your comfort, function, or quality of life. Progress may involve doing more of what matters to you, even when some pain remains.
Choose to learn about your pain
Understanding the factors that may contribute to your pain can help you make informed decisions. There may not be one simple explanation, but education can help make the experience less confusing.
Choose movement at a pace that works for you
Movement does not have to mean pushing through every symptom. Work with your healthcare provider to find activities and amounts of exercise that suit your current abilities, and adjust your plan as needed.
Choose patience and self-compassion
Progress can take time and may include setbacks. Small, consistent steps are worth recognising.
Most Importantly, Choose Yourself
Your pain deserves to be heard, and you deserve support.
If you are looking for help managing chronic pain in Hamilton, our team at Restorative Touch Physiotherapy can assess your needs and discuss whether physiotherapy is appropriate for you.
Book an appointment online or call 905-529-3278.
Stay tuned for our next blog, where we will explore why pain can continue after an injury has healed.
About the Author
Marilena Savino is a Registered Physiotherapist and owner of Restorative Touch Physiotherapy in Hamilton, Ontario. She graduated from McMaster University’s Physiotherapy Program in 1999 and has more than 25 years of physiotherapy experience. A competitive rower, Marilena brings both professional knowledge and personal experience to this discussion of persistent pain. Learn more about Marilena. (restorativetouchphysiotherapy.ca)
Sources and Further Reading
- Health Canada: National Pain Awareness Week statement, 2025
- Public Health Agency of Canada: About chronic pain
- NICE: Chronic pain assessment and management recommendations
This article provides general education and does not replace an individual assessment, diagnosis, or treatment plan.