From the Blog
Deep dives, clinical frameworks, and evidence-informed, whole-person pain care commentary from the Modern Pain Care team.
Archive
We were trained to chase the sensation. Find the painful tissue. Identify the source. Treat the structure. But what if the sensation isn't where the problem starts?
· 3 min read
We don't have a knowledge problem in physical therapy. We have a knowledge hierarchy problem. Matt Low on what we're missing and why it matters.
Apr 19, 2026 · 3 min read
Exposure is no longer just about fear of movement. The field has moved past viewing it as a specialty tool for kinesiophobia and toward a transdiagnostic intervention for avoidance-driven disability. Whether it’s back pain, IBS, or post-concussion symptoms, the target isn't the pain itself—it's the dysfunctional avoidance driven by threat expectations. If a patient is organizing their life around a prediction of harm, exposure has something to offer.
Apr 17, 2026 · 3 min read
When clinicians face complex pain cases, the instinct is often to search for the right diagnosis or the perfect treatment plan. But persistent pain rarely fits into neat clinical categories. Patients arrive with layered experiences—stress, trauma, grief, and life events—that shape how pain shows up in their bodies. A more effective approach starts with curiosity. Instead of positioning themselves as the expert with immediate answers, clinicians can create space for the patient’s story to emerge. Patients are the experts in their own experience, and when clinicians listen first, treatment becomes more personalized and meaningful. Sometimes the most powerful intervention isn’t a technique or exercise—it’s acknowledging what matters most to the patient. That moment of validation can open the door to trust, collaboration, and real progress in recovery.
Mar 14, 2026 · 3 min read