Why Your Pain Isn’t Improving With Physio (And What to Do Instead)?
Let’s start with the hard truth:
If you’ve been seeing a physio for weeks (or months) and your pain hasn’t changed — it’s not because you’re broken. It’s because the plan isn’t right for you.
As an exercise physiologist who specialises in injury rehab for active people, I see this all the time: people doing banded clamshells, getting zapped with machines, or being told to “just rest” — and wondering why their pain keeps coming back.
If that sounds familiar, this post is for you.
🚨 Common Reasons You’re Not Getting Better With Physio
1. The plan is passive, not active
A few massages or some needling might feel good short-term, but pain usually returns when you move again — especially if load tolerance hasn’t been rebuilt.
2. You’re doing generic rehab
Many physio clinics rely on cookie-cutter exercises that don’t progress over time. That’s not rehab. That’s wasting your time.
3. You’ve been told to rest too long
Rest has a place — but if you’re still avoiding basic movement weeks later, you’re likely deconditioning faster than healing.
4. No plan beyond pain relief
Pain is the symptom, not the problem. Good rehab plans rebuild capacity, not just chase pain away.
💡 So, What Does Actually Work?
If you want to move pain-free again, the focus needs to shift from treating symptoms to rebuilding load tolerance.
Here’s what I do differently with clients:
✅ 1. Start with a clear movement-based assessment
No vague poking and prodding. I assess how you move, how your body handles load, and what’s actually irritating the system.
✅ 2. Build a tailored, progressive rehab plan
You need more than “3 sets of 10.” Your plan evolves weekly as you improve — just like training. Rehab should feel like you're getting stronger, not just "less broken."
✅ 3. Keep you moving — even through injury
Unless there’s a fracture or post-op restriction, we find ways to keep you training around pain. That’s how you stay mentally and physically strong during recovery.
✅ 4. Focus on long-term resilience, not short-term relief
The end goal isn’t just pain relief — it’s getting you back to running, lifting, or whatever you love doing, without the injury creeping back in a few months.
🏃♂️ Real Talk: You Don’t Need Another Glute Bridge
If you’re still doing the same 3 rehab exercises from Week 1 — it’s time to change something.
You need a plan that respects your goals, not one that holds you back out of fear or tradition.
👋 Ready to Finally Move Past the Pain?
If you’re tired of the merry-go-round of rest, pain, repeat — I help active people rebuild properly.
No fluff. No clamshells. Just rehab that actually makes sense.
