This section contains some resources to help manage your bone, joint or muscle pain. We know pain is multifactorial and therefore it is important to not only address the physical influences but also the psychological influences such as anxiety and emotions. Psychological influences have a greater effect on your pain if you have experienced it over a long time.
There is further information in our Think Well section but some information has been included here as well.
The following resources have been identified to help manage your musculoskeletal pain:
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) have produced some self management resources for common joint pain including; neck; shoulder; elbow; hand; back; hip; knee; ankle; and foot. There is also a pain management and mental health and wellbeing section.
MSK Reform
MSK Reform have a number of resources have been collated by health professionals to address pain, injury, mental health and wellbeing. A summary of this site is as follows:
- Interactive body chart: information on common pathologies including self management advice.
- Musculoskeletal: early injury advice, health at work, persistent pain.
- Metal health: depression, anxiety.
- Wellbeing: nutrition, exercise, sleep, smoking.
- Features: new articles put together on specific topics
- There are also some infographics in the resources section of the website below which provide a visual summary of some key information.
COVID-19
Within the features section of the MSK Reform website there is information on how to manage fatigue, including post-viral fatigue that could occur after COVID-19. The following company code can be used if asked for it (mskr2019).
Escape Pain
Escape pain is a rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain of the knees and/or hips that integrates simple education, self-management and coping strategies, with an exercise regimen individualised for each person.
Escape pain offer a free online resource or App that can be accessed below:
Escape Pain Online Escape Pain AppBoth tools take the user through a six-week programme with exercises videos, educational videos and progress trackers.
The Escape Pain website has further information and free access to education and exercise videos.
MSK Tracker
The MSK Tracker was put together by Keele University and is funded by Versus Arthritis. It has links to advice on:
- Joint pain
- Condition information
- Chronic pain
- Medication
- General activity
- Investigations
- Injections
- Surgery
- Other (diet, falls, sleep, smoking, work, women’s health
- Mental health and wellbeing
Pacing
Pacing is particularly important if you: are new to activity; have an overload injury; are struggling with fatigue; suffer with persistent pain and are looking to become more active.
It is important that we pace our activities to avoid flaring up our symptoms. Overtime we need to increase our activity to continue to progress our function.
Below are some links which provide advice on how to pace your activities, particularly for those with persistent pain.
Pain toolkit – twelve tools to help with pain self management Oxford university Hospitals NHS Trust – Pacing patient leaflet Escape pain videosPersistent Pain
If you have had pain for a long time then these resources might be able to help you:
Pain toolkit
The pain toolkit was designed by someone living with persistent pain to provide useful information and resources.
Pain Toolkit resource centre The Pain Toolkit summary bookletLive well with pain
Live well with pain is a website with useful information and resources, including leaflets and videos, to help people who are living with persistent pain.
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy website has collated some useful resources alongside NHS England and versus arthritis to help you manage your pain.