You Don’t Have to Live with Chronic Pain
A Story of Healing at Rising Sun Physical Therapy
Everyone experiences pain sometimes. After all, it’s the body’s way of letting you know something’s wrong so you can take action to correct it.
But what happens when your pain lingers? When it lasts for months, well past the time your injury would have healed?
That sort of pain is known as chronic pain, and it can change how you move, sleep, and see yourself. For many people, chronic pain can become a part of daily life that affects everything from movement to mood.
Unfortunately, many people with chronic pain struggle to get the help they need. They might be told they have to accept it as normal–or worse, that it’s all in their heads. That’s what happened to a woman we’ll call Maria. She had been living with daily hip and back pain for three years and had yet to find a way to manage her symptoms.
Until she visited the team at Rising Sun Physical Therapy.
Maria’s Story: A Whole-Person Approach to Managing Chronic Pain
To most people, Maria looked fine. But inside, she was worn down from the toll of living with persistent discomfort. Her symptoms were typical of chronic pain: they flared when she sat too long and worsened when she tried to exercise. Sleep was hard for her to come by, and her body often felt stiff and unpredictable in the mornings.
During her first visit, we spent time learning Maria’s full story. We wanted to know how her pain affected her work, personal life, and sense of living in her own body, which meant an in-depth conversation about her experiences. We made it a point to explain to her that her pain is very real and that chronic pain like hers often stems from a nervous system that stays on high alert.
When Maria heard that, something clicked: her discomfort wasn’t “all in her head,” and that meant there was something she could do to change it.
Maria’s Treatment Plan: Looking at Her as a Person
We started Maria’s care off slowly, with hands-on treatments designed to calm irritated tissues and reduce muscle tension. We paired these techniques with breathing work to help her body shift out of constant protection mode. Any movements we performed were small and controlled. Nothing was forced.
To further support tissue healing and pain reduction, Maria’s plan also included deep tissue laser therapy. This advanced modality uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to penetrate deeply into affected tissues, helping reduce inflammation, stimulate cellular repair, and improve circulation. For individuals with chronic pain, laser therapy can calm irritated tissues and create an environment where the body is more receptive to movement and manual treatment.
To Maria’s surprise, this approach proved helpful. For the first time, her symptoms started to calm down. At this point, it was time for her plan to evolve.
We gradually introduced targeted exercises to retrain her core, hips, and spine to work together effectively. Chronic pain often disrupts communication between the muscles and the brain, and these exercises helped restore clear signals so her movements felt smoother and less guarded.
As part of our assessment, we also discovered that pelvic floor tension was contributing to Maria’s pain. We showed her how to relax these crucial muscles, which had become far too restricted over the years. As a result, pressure was reduced in her hips, which improved her comfort when sitting and walking.
One of the big things we stressed in her treatment was personalized education. We helped Maria understand why pain flare-ups happen and which management strategies worked best for her needs.
What Were the Results?
Maria’s progress wasn’t instant, but it was steady. After several weeks of working with us, she experienced longer stretches of time without pain. Her sleep improved, and movement became something she trusted again.
In fact, she even incorporated some of our one-on-one Somatic Pilates sessions into her routine, which helped her rebuild strength while staying connected to how her body felt in motion.
Months later, Maria went for a short hike at her favorite nature trail, an activity she never thought she’d get to enjoy again. At the end of her hike, she realized that pain no longer dictated her plans or her life.
Exercise of the Month
Bird Dog
(Core, Lower Back, Glutes)
Start on your hands and knees on a mat or table. Brace your abdominals and keep your back flat. Slowly raise one arm straight out in front of you while simultaneously raising your opposite leg back behind you until both limbs are straight and parallel with the ground. Lower them back down and repeat with your other limbs. 3 Sets, 10 Reps.
6 Ways Somatic Movement Supports Chronic Pain Relief
Maria’s story is a reminder: chronic pain is real—and can shift with nervous system care. PT calms tissues and rebuilds coordination and strength. My companion blog shares 6 somatic tools to reduce bracing, build safety, and support you between sessions.
Aurras Waves: Dance the Breath to Your Soul
Aurras Waves is a weekly 5Rhythms®-informed, music-led movement practice—no choreography—supporting pacing, reducing bracing, and easing chronic pain over time.
I’m Bettina-Kira Neumann—physical therapist, somatic practitioner, and 5Rhythms® teacher. I created Aurras as a way to extend the healing work beyond the clinic and into real life.
Struggling with Chronic Pain? You’re Welcome at Rising Sun Physical Therapy
Our team understands that those living with chronic pain do better with individualized, whole-person care that addresses the nervous system and combines movement, education, and hands-on manual therapy. We’ll work with you to increase your comfort and improve your function, so your life can open back up, just as it did for Maria.
At our clinic, your story matters. Our team will work diligently to understand your pain and create a personalized care plan that sees the whole you. Contact us online to get started.
Sources: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/2850, https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(21)00393-7/abstract
Somatic Pilates: A Unique Way to Improve Your Wellness in 2026
With the start of the new year comes new pressure to make a significant change in your fitness. You’re bombarded with messages to push yourself and take on high-impact, heavy-duty workouts so you’ll see dramatic results by spring.
While this approach works for some, it’s not ideal for everyone. That’s especially true if you’re coming into January with persistent pain or other underlying concerns that might make it harder to get moving.
If that sounds like your experience, Somatic Pilates at Rising Sun Physical Therapy offers a different starting point: one that’s not about forcing your body, but about listening to it.
What is Somatic Pilates?
Somatic Pilates combines traditional Pilates with principles from physical therapy. The focus is on how your body feels while you move, not how hard you push.
During your sessions, you’ll work one-on-one with one of our physical therapists, who will guide your movement and adjust it to meet your unique needs. Your therapist looks at posture, breathing, and movement patterns and offers small adjustments that can make a big difference.
This slow, controlled approach helps to:
- Reduce chronic muscle tension
- Improve balance and coordination
- Decrease pain sensitivity
- Support nervous system regulation
- Build strength without overload
Is Somatic Pilates Right for Me?
If you’re experiencing any of the following, we recommend reaching out to the Rising Sun Physical Therapy team to learn more:
- Have chronic pain or old injuries
- Feel stiff, guarded, or disconnected from your body
- Want strength without pain flare-ups
- Are returning to movement after physical therapy
- Want a calmer, more sustainable fitness routine
Strengthen Your Core
Modified Plank
(Core, Shoulders)
Start on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back flat and core engaged. Hold this position while breathing steadily. As you build strength, you can extend one leg at a time behind you while maintaining the flat back position. 3 Sets, hold for 20-30 seconds.
A New Year that Feels Better
This January, your goal doesn’t have to be to do more. Instead, focus on doing what works for you. Our Somatic Pilates program offers an approach that respects your body and supports lasting change.
To learn more, schedule an appointment on our website today!
Healthy Recipe: Anti-Inflammatory Golden Turmeric Smoothie Bowl
Support your body’s natural healing process with this delicious anti-inflammatory smoothie bowl. Turmeric and ginger work together to reduce inflammation, while banana and mango provide natural sweetness and essential nutrients that support recovery.
Ingredients:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric (or ½ teaspoon ground)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Pinch of black pepper (helps turmeric absorption)
- Optional: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Toppings:
Fresh berries, sliced kiwi, coconut flakes, granola, hemp hearts, sliced almonds
Instructions:
- Add all base ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. The consistency should be thick enough to eat with a spoon.
- Pour into a bowl and arrange your favorite toppings in sections for a beautiful presentation.
- Enjoy immediately as a nourishing breakfast or post-workout recovery meal.
Why it works: Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that may help reduce pain and stiffness. The black pepper enhances curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%, while omega-3-rich chia seeds provide additional anti-inflammatory benefits. This nutrient-dense bowl supports your body’s natural healing process and tastes delicious too!
Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain or looking for a gentler approach to fitness this new year, the team at Rising Sun Physical Therapy is here to support you. We combine evidence-based physical therapy with compassionate, personalized care to help you feel better and move with confidence.
Schedule your appointment today and discover how our whole-person approach can help you reclaim your life from pain.
Patient Spotlight
“The team at Rising Sun PT changed my life. I came in with chronic back pain that had been affecting me for years, and I was skeptical that anything could help. But from my very first appointment, I felt heard and understood. They took the time to really assess my situation and created a personalized treatment plan that actually worked. The combination of manual therapy, targeted exercises, and their Somatic Pilates sessions gave me tools I can use for life. I’m now pain-free and more active than I’ve been in years. I cannot recommend them highly enough!”
