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National Pain Day: Physiotherapy emphasises the role of prevention

National Pain Day: Physiotherapy reinforces the role of prevention

National Pain Day, celebrated on 14 October, has the theme "Preventive Care in Chronic Pain" and is officially organised by the European Pain Federation (EFIC). The day aims to increase understanding and awareness of chronic pain, a condition that affects 1 in 5 adults in Europe and is the leading cause of healthcare demand and disability.

Chronic pain is a multidimensional condition, influenced by biological, psychological and social factors, which limits quality of life, affects mental health and reduces social participation. Despite its significant impact, prevention remains insufficient and early intervention is crucial to prevent acute pain from becoming chronic and disabling.

See here the official video of EFIC's 2025 campaign, centred on the importance of chronic pain prevention.

The central role of physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a fundamental component in the prevention and management of chronic pain. Physiotherapists assess the functional causes of pain and intervene before it becomes disabling, promoting:

  • Movement and motor re-education, reducing inflammation and stiffness;
  • Education for self-care, ergonomics and safe exercise;
  • Follow-up of rehabilitation, ensuring a return to functionality and improved quality of life.

In this way, physiotherapy not only relieves pain, but also contributes to primary and secondary prevention, reinforcing health equity and reducing the economic impact of chronic pain, estimated at up to 12 billion euros a year in Europe.

EFIC emphasises that prevention is possible, effective and affordable, and that joint action is needed to reduce the burden of chronic pain on society.

As an example of promoting awareness of the importance of movement in pain management, review here the episode dedicated to this theme of the "+Health At Every Move" campaign by the Order of Physiotherapists.

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Pedro Maciel Barbosa

Specialist physiotherapist at the Matosinhos Local Health Unit Sub-coordinator for Primary Health Care, Matosinhos Local Health Unit Visiting Assistant Professor at the Porto School of Health Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Health - SNS Member of the General Council of the Order of Physiotherapists

Carlos Sand

Carlos Areia has been a physiotherapist since 2013, and has worked in various hospitals, clinics and clubs in both Portugal and the UK. He began his academic career at Oxford University in 2016, where he led a clinical trial comparing physiotherapy vs surgery in anterior cruciate injuries in 32 hospitals in England. In 2018 she moved to the neurosciences department, where she developed her own studies on remote monitoring of vital signs, which were implemented during the pandemic. Here he discovered his passion for data, and in 2022, he joined Digital Science as a Data Scientist. He completed his PhD earlier this year, and has more than 60 publications in journals such as The Lancet, BMJ, Cochrane, among others. He is also an honorary lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and a consultant in clinical research.

Eduardo José Brazete Carvalho Cruz

PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Brighton, UK. Post-Doctorate in Epidemiology from the National School of Public Health at the New University of Lisbon.
Coordinator of the Studies and Planning Office of the Order of Physiotherapists. Coordinating Professor of the Physiotherapy Department of the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (ESS-IPS). President of the ESS-IPS Technical-Scientific Council. Coordinator of the Physiotherapy Department at ESS-IPS. Integrated Researcher at the Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC) (a partnership between FCM-UNL, the National School of Public Health, the University of Évora, the Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health and Santo Espírito Hospital, Terceira Island, Azores).

Sara Souto Miranda

Sara Souto Miranda has a bachelor's and master's degree in physiotherapy from the University of Aveiro, and a postgraduate qualification in adult respiratory physiotherapy from the same institution. In 2023 she completed her double doctorate in Rehabilitation Sciences/Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at the Universities of Aveiro and Maastricht (Netherlands) and is currently working as a technical-scientific advisor to the Studies and Planning Office (GEP) of the Order of Physiotherapists, and as a guest lecturer at the Piaget Institute in Vila Nova de Gaia. As a member of the Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Aveiro (Lab3R), she has carried out applied research in which she has assessed and treated patients with respiratory pathology, having taken part in 6 research projects. Throughout her career she has published 19 scientific articles in international peer-reviewed journals with an impact factor, 1 book chapter and more than 50 abstracts in conference proceedings. She was a research volunteer at the Ciro rehabilitation centre (Centre for expertise in chronic organ failure) in the Netherlands, and is currently a member of the Guideline Methodology Network of European Respiratory Society. She was honoured by European Lung Foundation e European Respiratory Society for carrying out patient-centred research, by the Directorate General for Higher Education with a merit grant for his master's degree, and by the Ciro Centre with a grant to support research abroad.

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