Chronic Pain Recovery: The Three Physios Who Healed More Than My Back
- Sarah Gilbertson
- Jul 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 22
What ten years of chronic pain recovery taught me about the difference between fixing bodies and healing humans
"It's just a bit of sciatica. Do some stretches".
That’s how my chronic pain story began: eight words, one awkward twist, and suddenly my world shrank. It started with a new job, a Liverpool-to-London commute, and shooting pain down my left leg.
The first physio handed me a stretch sheet and sent me on my way. Nothing changed—except the pain got worse.
A year of dismissals, nearly permanent nerve damage, and finally: a bone spur crushing my sciatic nerve. Surgery fixed the structure. But healing? That took a lot longer.
Eventually, I found three physios who changed everything.
The Pain Science Expert
He taught me pain is the nervous system’s alarm, not just injury. He introduced me to Lorimer Moseley’s TEDx talk about chronic pain and the snake bite; an analogy that changed everything I thought I knew about pain.
For the first time, I realised my brain’s protective responses were real but not always accurate. Sometimes, it treats a harmless rope like a dangerous snake, keeping pain alive even after tissue has healed.
He listened to my full story and showed how the brain can keep us stuck in pain, long after the physical threat is gone.
The Back Whisperer
She rebuilt my trust in movement.
It wasn’t just about exercises, it was about noticing fear, tension and protective habits my body had learned.
She taught me that healing means believing my body isn’t broken and how to find confidence again.
The Physio Climber,
He made rehab adventurous.Bouldering became nervous system training. Each small win on the wall rewired my sense of safety and capability.
My 3 Pillars of Nervous System Healing
Whole body listening: Your posture, breath, and movement all tell a story.
Self-regulation: Healing means learning to downshift - anytime, anywhere.
Emotional ease: Movement becomes joyful again, not just functional.
What I Learned from Chronic Pain Recovery
Techniques fix tissues. But transformation happens when someone sees your whole nervous system, not just your symptoms. True healing is about being heard, supported and trusted.
Why This Matters
If you’re stuck in pain, or help others move, look for professionals who see beyond symptoms.
We are more than bodies—we’re complex, adaptive, and our healing is as much about how we move and who we become as it is about what hurts.
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About Sarah
Sarah Gilbertson is a Therapeutic Coach and founder of FlourishWell Coaching.
She works with women navigating midlife change, recovery, and confidence, especially in the space between “you are fine now” and feeling ready again.
With a background in movement teaching and ski instructing, Sarah brings a grounded, body-first approach to emotional health and nervous system literacy.
Learn more about working with Sarah
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