Around 20% of the clients I work with come to see me because they want to be proactive with their health — age better, stay mobile, reduce injury risk, and improve how they look.

The other 80%? They’re in pain — and they want it to stop.

Sometimes it’s mild and nagging. Other times, it’s life-altering — stopping them from playing sports, working comfortably, or even picking up their kids or grandkids.

I’ve been there. I lived with chronic pain for years (you can read about that here). It’s one of the reasons I became a posture specialist.

Pain doesn’t just wear down your body — it affects your mind, mood, and quality of life. And one of the biggest mindset shifts I ever made was this:

Pain isn’t the enemy. It’s a message.

Pain is your body’s way of saying, “Something’s not right. Pay attention.”

Think of it like this: if you touch a hot stove, your nerves scream at you to move your hand. The pain is unpleasant — but it’s useful. Once you move away from the heat, the signal stops.

Now imagine that same signal… just stuck in a loop. That’s what chronic pain can feel like.

In so many of my clients, the root cause of that loop is poor alignment — joints and muscles being used in ways they weren’t designed for. Some muscles get overworked. Others shut down. Joints wear unevenly. Nerves get irritated.

And the body says: “Ouch.”

When we improve posture, we often reduce or eliminate the mechanical stress behind the pain. No more stress → no more signal → no more pain.

So why am I sharing all this?

Because if you’re in pain, you’re not alone. Far from it. Chronic pain is more common than you think.

Because it can get better. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it.

Because posture isn’t just how you stand — it’s how your body functions. And improving it can be the key to lasting relief.

And finally, because remembering that pain is a signal, not a sentence, can shift your perspective and reduce some of the fear around it.

Take care — and I hope this gives you a bit of hope.

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Written by Ameet Bhakta, BSc, DipHE
Certified Postural Alignment Specialist (Egoscue Institute)
Founder of Health Through Posture, London & Tunbridge Wells