Youngify - Where Neuroscience Meets Physiotherapy

03/07/2025

The University of Cambridge published a study that should have made front-page news.
It didn’t. But for anyone living with persistent pain, it should matter deeply.

Lisa had never been someone who made a fuss.

So when the pain around her ribs started and didn’t go away, she quietly did what most of us would—doctor visits, scans, specialists. All came back “clear.” Eventually, someone said it: “It might be stress-related.”

That moment stuck.

A new 2025 study from the University of Cambridge shows Lisa’s experience isn’t rare. In fact, it might be one of the most common, and misunderstood, stories in pain care today.

The study, published in the journal Rheumatology, revealed that when patients are told their symptoms are psychosomatic or given chronic labels without clear explanation, the consequences can be devastating. Not just physically—emotionally, socially, and even neurologically.

Participants in the study shared how a misdiagnosis changed their identity. They went from being people with a sore back, or strange fatigue, or pain that came and went—to being people who felt broken. Who stopped doing things they loved. Who lost trust in themselves and their healthcare providers.

Lead researcher Dr. Melanie Sloan described it clearly:

"Being misdiagnosed wasn’t just a clinical error for many patients. It was a personal injury. Many felt dismissed, and this dismissal led them to dismiss themselves."

The researchers concluded that these labels—even when meant to be helpful or cautious—can trigger long-term psychological harm and worsen physical outcomes.

Although the study focused on chronic autoimmune disease, the pattern is familiar to us in clients with persistent pain from physical strain. We treat clients with issues like back pain, joint pain, nerve-type symptoms—often with clear mechanical origins that were missed early on. And we see the same thing: people who are told there's no cause, no solution, and it's probably stress, or even worse–'the brain has learned to keep producing the pain'.

We see this every week at Youngify. We see this kind of messaging as dismissive—and it often leaves people feeling like they’re the problem, instead of being properly helped. It’s disappointing, especially when the people making these calls are considered experts in chronic pain.

Lisa was 55 when the pain in her ribs started. It wrapped around from her spine to the front of her chest, and no one could find a cause. Scans were clear. Bloods normal. After seven months of appointments, a specialist gently told her it might be stress-related. Lisa nodded politely, drove home, and told her partner she didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

She stopped swimming. Stopped doing pilates. Cancelled her girls’ weekend in Byron. Not because she was in agony, but because she no longer trusted her body. She started seeing herself differently: fragile. Unstable. A woman who used to be active.

When she came to us, it had been over a year since she’d felt normal. But within minutes, we found something unusual: her thoracic spine barely moved. One side had shut down completely. Her brain had decided that region wasn’t safe from the imperceptible excessive strain, and it had locked it down.

We gently worked to get that area moving again. No brute force. Just enough for the brain to register that it didn’t need to protect anymore.

She stood up differently after the first session. The ribs felt less tight. The pain hadn’t disappeared, but something else had: the fear.

Over the next few weeks, Lisa changed. Not just physically. She started planning another trip. She went back to light training. She started laughing in sessions. She looked like someone who remembered who she was.

She didn’t need to be told it was all in her head. She needed someone to understand how real it was.

And she needed help finding the actual reason her brain was protecting her.

That’s what we do here.

If you’ve been given a label that doesn’t feel like the full story—you’re not alone. This study confirms what we’ve all suspected: it’s not just about pain. It’s about how pain is explained. And when it’s explained poorly, it can do more harm than good.

Reference:Sloan, M., et al. (2025). "The psychological impact of psychosomatic misdiagnoses on patients with chronic autoimmune disease." Rheumatology. University of Cambridge. Published March 3, 2025.

02/07/2025

His name was Mark. Mid-forties. Avid weekend runner. Software engineer by day.

About a year ago, his left Achilles started hurting. Not sharply, just that deep, dragging ache that wouldn’t go away. He thought it would settle. It didn’t.

He followed every bit of advice. Rested when he was told. Did the exercises. Showed up to every appointment. Took the scans. Ate clean. Stayed positive.

And still the pain never left.

It wasn’t unbearable. Just always there. Enough to make every day harder than it needed to be. Enough to drain the joy out of things that used to feel easy.

He started to wonder if maybe he was just one of those people who don’t heal. The ones for whom nothing really works. Maybe it was genetic. Maybe he wasn’t trying hard enough. Maybe the pain was “holding on” for some emotional reason.

People told him to stretch more. To strengthen more. To stop focusing on it. To meditate. To try Pilates. To accept it. To push through it.

And even though he was doing almost all of it, nothing really changed.

Until someone looked somewhere completely different.

They didn’t start with the area that hurt. They started with the parts that didn’t. The parts that weren’t moving properly, even though they felt fine. The parts his brain had quietly stopped trusting without him realising.

Turns out the Achilles wasn’t the problem. It was the one doing all the extra work.

The problem was elsewhere. A restriction in his spine. A line of muscle that wasn’t loading properly.

Once the real problem was found and released, everything shifted.

The brain no longer needed to protect the painful area. It stopped guarding. The movement returned. The strength came back. The pain started fading—not gradually, but fast.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t heal. It was that the area being treated was never the right one to begin with.

This is more common than most people realise. Not because of bad treatment or lazy clients. But because pain is often misunderstood.

It’s not always a sign of damage. It’s often the brain stepping in to protect us from something it sees as risky.

When we treat the painful area, we’re often treating the victim, not the culprit.

That’s why some people never heal. Not because they can’t. But because the real problem was never found.

And when it finally is—healing happens faster than anyone expected.

02/07/2025

He was told it was tennis elbow.

That made sense at the time. Garreth was a carpenter in his late 40s, used his arms all day, and the pain was right on the outside of the elbow. He followed instructions: rest, ice, brace, load it slowly, stick to the plan.

Months passed. Nothing changed.

Then came the cortisone. Then a different brace. Then someone tried dry needling. Still the same pain, same location, same problem. He started using his other arm more. Started feeling helpless. Started wondering if maybe this was just permanent now.

He wasn’t lazy. He wasn’t looking for quick fixes. He was doing everything right. And he was getting nowhere.

By the time he walked into our clinic, the only thing he was sure of was that something wasn't adding up.

We checked the elbow. It was sore, yes. But nothing about it looked like the cause. The movement was clean. The joint was stable. He winced on certain tests—but so would anyone if their brain had been guarding a spot for that long.

So we kept going.

Down the arm. Up the shoulder. Across the neck. Eventually, we found it: one tiny area in the shoulder muscles that wasn’t moving properly.

When he turned his head left, it dragged. When we pressed on that segment and asked him to grip, the strength in his hand changed instantly.

That was the moment it made sense.

The elbow pain wasn’t the cause. It was the victim.

The brain had picked up on poor movement in the shoulder muscle and decided to protect the chain. That protection showed up at the elbow because that’s where the forces were collecting.

It wasn’t tennis elbow. It was something else entirely.

This isn’t a rare story. We see it all the time. A label gets applied too quickly, and everything that follows is based on that one assumption. That assumption becomes the lens through which every new treatment is applied.

But if the assumption is wrong, everything else that follows—even the really good treatment—isn’t hitting the mark.

That’s the misdiagnosis epidemic no one is talking about.

In fact, a recent 2025 study from the University of Cambridge revealed just how damaging this can be. It found that when patients are misdiagnosed—especially when their symptoms are dismissed as "just in their head"—the consequences extend far beyond the physical. It leads to long-term damage to their confidence, emotional wellbeing, and trust in the healthcare system. Even when the initial label is given with good intent, it can quietly change a person’s sense of self.

The problem isn’t that clinicians don’t care or aren’t skilled. It’s that most systems are set up to treat what hurts, not find out why it hurts.

The site of pain is rarely the true source of the problem.

Once the shoulder muscle was released and trust returned to that movement, the pain started to disappear. Quickly. Naturally. Not because anything was forced or corrected, but because the brain no longer saw a need to protect.

The strength came back. The fear faded. He got his life back.

Not from magic. Just from looking in the right place.

It’s happening more than we think. The wrong area is getting all the attention, and the real issue—the thing the brain is actually worried about—gets missed.

That’s why we do what we do.

If it feels like you’ve done everything right and still nothing is changing, maybe the problem isn’t you.

Maybe it’s just been the wrong target.

02/07/2025

She didn’t make a fuss. Didn’t rush to get scans. Didn’t even tell many people. It was just a dull ache, starting in her lower back after lifting her daughter out of the bath one evening. That was it. Just a small twinge, the kind of thing every parent shrugs off.

Her name is Sarah. Thirty-nine. Works part-time, always on the move, raising two kids and squeezing in the occasional jog when she could. She thought the ache would pass. It didn’t.

Over time, stretching became routine. Then came the heat packs, the short-lived massages, and eventually, the endless YouTube videos titled things like "5 Best Exercises for Lower Back Pain." Some of it helped. Mostly, it didn’t.

She stopped jogging, quietly. Then she stopped lifting her youngest, always with a joke about being "too old for this." Eventually, she began opting out of things she used to love: bushwalks, weekend markets, even sitting for long lunches with friends. None of it was a big decision. Just a slow shift.

The worst part wasn’t the pain. It was that quiet, creeping feeling that maybe this was just how life was going to be now. That maybe she was broken. That maybe, as one physio had once hinted, she just needed to accept it and keep building strength.

It was her husband who nudged her to try something different. He’d heard about a clinic that didn’t look at pain the usual way. They didn’t start with the site of pain. They looked for the reason the brain was protecting that area in the first place.

She was skeptical. She’d done the rounds. What else was there to find?

But within minutes of that first session, something shifted. Not the pain—not yet. Her understanding. They checked her back, yes, but quickly moved on. Her right calf, of all places, was completely locked up. No pain there, but no movement either. The clinician explained that the brain might be protecting her back because it didn’t feel safe loading through the leg properly.

They worked gently on that spot. She stood up. Moved around. Bent forward.

It felt different. Not fixed, not miraculous. Just different—like the guarding had dropped. Like the body trusted itself again.

Over the next few sessions, the pain began to disappear. Not because they “strengthened” her core or “stretched” her back, but because they found the real reason her brain had put up the pain in the first place.

Sarah laughs about it now. "All those months I spent torturing my hip flexors, and it was my calf the whole time."

She still catches herself being cautious sometimes. Still second-guesses the stairs or long drives. But now, there’s a sense of trust building back in. Her world is getting bigger again.

It turns out pain isn't always what we think it is. And sometimes, when it lingers, it’s not a sign of damage—it’s a sign of protection.

For Sarah, that one insight changed everything.

19/06/2025

How can we know if our nerves are ideal?
Or, the cause of the pain?

How can we know if our nerves are ideal?
I hope you're having a wonderful day! I've got another fascinating piece of information that could change the way you think about nerve pain and injuries.

Did you know that an ideal nerve cable should glide freely without any interference from muscle firing?

That’s right – when our nerves are functioning properly, they should move smoothly without causing discomfort.

But if you’re experiencing nerve pain, tingling, or numbness, it might be related to your muscles firing to protect your nerves.

Here’s the scoop: Our brains are always on high alert to protect your body from potential strain.

When it senses that some physical strain might be too much, it sends signals to our muscles to tighten up around the nerves, creating a protective barrier.

This muscle firing can interfere with the normal gliding of the nerves, leading to pain and other uncomfortable sensations.

The good news?

By understanding this protective mechanism, we can work to resolve it and restore your nerves to their natural, free-gliding state.

And contrary to popular belief, this process is actually quite simple. These protective responses are measurable and, once calmed, nerve pain and related issues are often resolved.

Let me share a story about one of our clients, Kate. She came to us with chronic sciatic nerve pain that made it difficult for her to walk and sit comfortably.

Traditional treatments had offered little relief. When we examined her, we found that her brain was sending protective signals to her muscles, causing them to tighten up around her sciatic nerve and restrict its natural movement.

By using specific techniques to relax these protective responses, we helped Kate restore the free-gliding movement of her nerve.

Her pain significantly decreased, and she was able to return to her normal activities without discomfort.

As renowned pain scientist Lorimer Moseley puts it, "Pain is a conscious experience that results from the brain interpreting danger to body tissue."

This quote highlights the brain's role in pain perception and protection.

However, it’s also essential to understand that the brain doesn’t just produce pain – it actively engages protective mechanisms within the body, such as muscle tightening around nerves.

By addressing and calming these protective responses, we can often resolve nerve pain and related issues at their core.

See more information about nerve pain and the do's & dont's at this Youngify web page: https://www.youngify.com.au/nerve-irritation-nerve-pain

Soon, you’ll be able to understand your body better and take control of your health.

If you’re curious about how this works and want to start feeling better, you are welcome to book a free call with me to discuss possibilities at the link below:
https://www.youngify.com.au/book-a-free-call

Soon, you’ll be able to understand your body better and take control of your health.

Wishing you all the best physical health,
Michael.

19/06/2025

19/10/2024

We are proud of your hard work, Christian!

04/05/2024

I want to share a crucial insight that I've learned through years of studying neuroscience and working with many clients over 27 years.

It's a shift in perspective that can make a significant difference in how we approach pain and injury.

Many of us have been taught that getting better is all about healing.

While healing is undoubtedly important, there's a key factor that often gets overlooked – protection.

Our brains prioritize protection over everything else, including healing.

Think about it like this: imagine your body as a fortress, and pain or injury as a breach in its defenses. The brain's immediate response is to protect that breach, often by creating pain or limiting movement. This protection mechanism is vital for preventing further damage and allowing the body to heal properly.

However, focusing solely on healing without addressing the underlying protection can lead to prolonged pain and limited progress.

It's like trying to repair a wall without fixing the breach that caused the damage in the first place.

At Youngify, our approach is centred around understanding and addressing the brain's protective strategies.

By working with your body's natural defence mechanisms rather than against them, we can unlock the path to true healing and lasting relief.

I invite you to explore this concept further with us and discover a new perspective on pain management and injury recovery.

Together, we can prioritize protection to pave the way for optimal healing.

Learn how this might apply to you–click below to book a free phone call consultation.

Let's chat, no obligation.

https://www.youngify.com.au/book-a-free-call

Wishing you wellness and resilience,
Michael

04/05/2024

I want to share a little story about how our bodies talk to us—yes, even without words!

Imagine for a moment you’re a ship captain. Your ship, the S.S. Body, is equipped with a highly advanced control centre, your brain.

This isn't just any brain—it's a super-computer that's constantly analyzing data, predicting potential issues, and ensuring your voyage is safe.

Now, picture this: you’re navigating through the foggy waters of everyday life. Suddenly, there’s a sharp rock—maybe it's a twisted ankle on your morning run, or perhaps it's that pesky lower back pain from sitting too long.

Just like a good captain who feels the ship scraping against something unexpected, your brain springs into action. It sends out guiding pain signals, not to alarm you unnecessarily, but to grab your attention—like a flashing beacon guiding you away from danger.

In the world of neuroscience, we understand that these pain signals are your brain’s way of protecting you.

They are helpful alarms, sounding off to make you aware, helping you adjust your course to avoid further harm.

But here’s where our journey takes a deeper dive: your brain enacts protective measures such as muscle guarding.

Why does this happen?

It’s not just caution—it's a sophisticated protection strategy.

Our brains, act like the most vigilant captains, maintain protective muscle contractions, under the radar, to ensure that any potential residual risk is managed.

This ongoing muscular guarding is your brain's way of reinforcing the ship’s stability until it's absolutely certain that the waters are safe again.

This is where we step in at Youngify. We see these ongoing alarms not as errors, but as appropriate protective measures your brain continues to take.

Our approach is like having a skilled navigator who can measure the protection under the radar and persuade it to calm down to reassure the captain that the ship is indeed safe, and that it's okay to quiet down the alarms.

By understanding and speaking this language of the nervous system, we help you reset and calm these alarms.

We guide your body through gentle, precise maneuvers—not just where it hurts, but in connected areas that might be contributing to the issue.

This way, we address not just the symptoms, but the root causes of discomfort, helping your brain recalibrate its protective strategies.

So next time you feel that nagging ache or pain, remember it’s not just a nuisance. It's a conversation your body is trying to have with you, and with the right approach, we can translate this dialogue into action, making your everyday journey smoother and pain-free.

Now, as you finish your breakfast and step into your day, take a moment to listen to what your body is communicating.

It’s an incredible story being told by the most sophisticated storyteller there is: your own brain. And if you ever feel like the signals are getting too much, remember, we're here to help make sense of the story.

Enjoy your day and listen to the tales of the S.S. Body—navigating through life might just become a bit easier with a bit of neuroscience on your side!

Learn how this might apply to you–click below to book a free phone call consultation.

Let's chat, no obligation.

https://www.youngify.com.au/book-a-free-call

Looking forward to discovering your story,
Michael

29/03/2024

I also thought it was reassuring when I first started out.

23 years ago I was all geared up, fresh from gaining a specialty postgraduate degree in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, ready to conquer the world of pain problems with my newfound knowledge.

Here's a little story for you.

Imagine me, years ago, full of enthusiasm, thinking I had all the answers. I was like that friend who, after reading a couple of health articles, claims they can solve all your health woes.

Except, I had two degrees to back me up, and I was determined to be the best I could be at everything in my life. Whether it was mastering physiotherapy, the steepest cycling hills, nurturing my marriage, or even just packing the perfect lunch each day, I was all in.

But then reality hit.

Despite applying everything I learned in physiotherapy with 100% dedication, the results were... let's just say, less than stellar.

It was like following a recipe to the letter and still ending up with a cake that's somehow both burnt and raw.

Frustrating, right?

Was it just me?

Or was there something fundamentally missing in the way we were taught to approach pain?

After much soul-searching and countless trials, I stumbled upon a realization that changed everything.

I began to see that treating pain wasn't about applying a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. It was about understanding each person's unique composition.

Here's the deal: I now start every client relationship with a clear admission – I don't have all the answers.

Shocking, I know. But here's why it works.

Pain, much like people, is complex and unique. What's causing your discomfort isn't a mystery I can solve with a textbook formula.

It's a puzzle that's unique to you, and together, we need to piece it together.

Think of it like this – remember the last time you lost something important, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't find it?

Then, a friend comes over, takes a fresh look, and finds it in a place you never would have thought to look.

That's how I approach your pain. I'm that friend who helps you look in places others might not, to find the real source of your discomfort.

This journey led me to develop a method where I work with you, exploring and understanding your body's unique signals, to uncover and address the root cause of your pain.

No more guesswork based on generic diagnoses.

If this approach resonates with you, if you're tired of the same old answers and are looking for a journey tailored just for you, I'm here. Let's start this exploration together. You're not just another case to me; you're a unique story waiting to be understood.

Curious to see how we can work together to tackle your pain in a way that's as unique as you are? Click below to book a free phone call consultation. Let's chat, no obligation.

https://www.youngify.com.au/book-a-free-call

Looking forward to discovering your story,
Michael

08/02/2024

Celebrating success!
Frank was so grateful for us fixing his 30-year chronic pain that he crafted an artwork gift for us in his home workshop–a champion piece of work!
Thank you for giving us the chance to work with you, Frank!

03/11/2023

You've tried it all—traditional physio, osteo, chiro, stretching, massages, medications. But the pain persists. What if the solution isn't what you've been told?