What can I do to help myself if I have pain?

Most musculoskeletal pain can be helped by improving your general health and wellbeing, as well as increasing your physical activity levels.

Here you will find links to self-help information for health improvement, physical activity and managing your pain.

Health and Wellbeing




Physical Activity


CMO Physical activity recommentations for adults
(You can click on the image to open a pdf for those using screen reading software)


       Brisk walking front image                                        Exercise snacking front image
Click the image for a                                                         Click the image for a guide
guide on Brisk Walking                                                    on Exercise Snacking

  • Free, volunteer-led Health Walks are available throughout Tayside: More information for Angus, Perthshire and Dundee
  • Moving Medicine provides online practical guides and support to help get you moving for your health
  • NHS Fitness Studio provides instructor-led exercise videos which you can do in your own time from home

  • In Angus - Be Active...Live Well provides a range of activities and supports people to become more active. You can self-refer or be referred by your healthcare professional
  • A range of activities are available for Active Wellbeing from Dundee Leisure, most need a membership but ask your Health Professional about the Active for Life Referral scheme
  • In Perth - Live Active Leisure also accepts Activity Referral for a range of fitness activities, ask your GP or healthcare professional to be referred

  • Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is dedicated to promoting fun & free physical activity opportunities in Tayside and encouraging people of all abilities to be more active together 
                     
 

NHS Tayside Resources

NHS Tayside have further information on looking after your Health and Wellbeing. Here you will find useful resources for help with making behaviour changes, physical activity, alcohol and drug use, financial wellbeing and more.

Pain and Injury Management

NHS Inform offers self-management advice around how you can manage your symptoms for your condition

Click the image below of the area where you have pain and it will take you to the NHS Inform self-help page
                                                                                                                                                                   
   Neck pain image    Shoulder pain image   Elbow pain image

  Wrist and Hand pain image  Back pain image   Hip pain image
  
   Knee pain image     Ankle pain image
If you have a diagnosed Musculoskeletal Condition - you can find more relevant self-help here


Waiting Well

Even though you may be put on a waiting list to see a healthcare specialist or to get health and social care services, there are still things you can do to help support your health and wellbeing while you wait. This site has information to help you do that. This includes information on your physical and mental health, as well as advice about practical issues like money worries.


Chronic or Persistent Pain 

Chronic or persistent pain is pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks, or beyond the natural healing time and may be unexplained. NHS Inform Chronic Pain is an excellent resource to help you to understand why this might happen, what you can do to help and to guide you through changes that you can make to help you live well with chronic pain.


Digital Exercise Classes

The link below is for our online digital exercise classes designed by our musculoskeletal physiotherapists which you may find helpful.