Blog - Musculoskeletal Health Australia (MHA)

04/Dec/2025

The festive season is the time where we reflect, celebrate and look to the new year ahead. However it can also be a time of stress and fatigue and potentially more pressure when managing our musculoskeletal health.

We’ve put together a shortlist of tips and trick to help navigate and enjoy this time of year! 😊

Shopping & Gifting

Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Boxing Day Sales – Shopping has become more intense than ever! So plan around your pain and fatigue. Try to stick to your regular routine of rest to maintain your energy levels.
Grab your shopping list, present list (a foggy brain makes remembering almost impossible) and your shopping buggy/bags. Use a trolley or a shopping buggy, even if you only plan to buy a few things. It’ll do the heavy carrying for you, so you can avoid muscle and joint pain.
Use your assistive devices (walking aids, braces, and orthotics). hey can make a big difference in how you cope while shopping and how you feel afterwards.
Take breaks. Shopping can be exhausting and stressful, so take breaks when you need them. Be kind to your body, and don’t push yourself too hard, or you’ll pay for that over the coming hours/days.
Shop online. During the past few years, we learned just how many things could be purchased with a few quick mouse clicks (hello, shiny new shoes 😁). So visit your favourite stores online and save yourself some trips to the shopping centre. Just be sure to check the shipping details to ensure your goods arrive on time. Gift cards are also a great option!
Shop local. You don’t need to visit the big shopping centres to find unique gifts or fresh produce. Small, independent local stores may have most of what you need.

Festive feasting!

Rule #1 – don’t skip meals. It’s a common mistake to make. You’re anticipating a delicious lunch and/or dinner with all your favourite foods, so you skip meals to make space. But this can lead to overeating because you’re so hungry 😫 when you finally do get to eat. It’s also not a great idea to have an empty stomach when taking certain meds or drinking alcohol. So make sure you eat, even if it’s a small meal, to tide you over until you get to the main event.
Stay hydrated. The silly season is usually a hot time of the year, and it’s easy to become dehydrated. Especially if you’re drinking alcohol and/or playing backyard cricket, so keep the water flowing.
Food prep is the great time-saver. If you can – make things ahead of time where possible so that you’re not overworked on the big day (or days). You’re also more likely to enjoy yourself on the day!
Consider asking your fellow feasters to bring a plate, so that you can better manage the preparation and dietary requirements of everyone attending.
Pace yourself and focus on quality over quantity time. This is about making the time you’re spending catching up count so that everyone enjoys it!
Be medicine-wise.
- Over-the-counter and prescription medicine may help you manage pain and inflammation so you can enjoy your day – check in with your GP or the pharmacist to see what your best options are.
- Watch the alcohol. Many medicines don’t mix well with alcohol, so do your homework to see what may work for you. And consider low or no alcohol options – these days the there is quite a range available.
Take it easy with cleaning up and get the family and your guests involved – even if it’s simple things like folding up chairs or bringing dishes to the kitchen. And remind yourself that some things really can wait the next day!

Taking care of you

Manage stress. Christmas and the holidays can be stressful, but you need to manage your stress as best you can or risk having a flare. So pull out your best stress management strategies and use them as often as you need to.
Pace yourself. When you’re hosting an event, it’s easy to get carried away and be constantly on the move. Gatherings can be a marathon, so pace yourself so you don’t run out of steam before the end. The same goes if you’re visiting others. Travelling to and from your home to theirs, being a witty conversationalist 😉 and just interacting with others can be exhausting.
Get some sleep, and rest when you need it. With so many events and gatherings happening at this time of year, it’s easy for our sleep to be disrupted. And we have enough problems with sleep at the best of times! Try as much as possible to stick to your sleep schedule and take rest breaks or naps when needed.
Stay active. Regular exercise is essential all year round for managing a musculoskeletal condition and chronic pain. It’s also important to help offset some of the extra kilojoules you may be consuming at this time of year. And it’ll help you deal with excess stress and sleep issues.
Listen to some tunes. Music helps to reduce anxiety, fear, depression, pain-related distress and blood pressure. And it’s an easy, cost-effective and enjoyable way to relieve pain🎵. Happy holidays everyone! From all of us at Musculoskeletal Australia, we wish you a happy, fun, safe and pain-free festive season. 🎄🎁🥗🍹

Contact our free national Helpline

If you have any questions about managing your pain, musculoskeletal condition, treatment options, mental health issues, or accessing services – our helpline team are here to provide support! Give them a FREE call on 1800 263 265 – Monday-Fridays 9am-5pm, or email helpline@muscha.org

More to explore

6 tips for managing the holiday season with chronic illness
The Mighty
A guide to having a less stressful Christmas
ABC Everyday
How to avoid holiday burnout when the pressure’s on
The Upside
Navigating Christmas with a chronic illness
Patient
Top tips for managing pain over the festive season
London Pain Clinic
Top tips to cut the cost of Christmas
Choice

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

02/Dec/2025

Ingredients:

-3 avocados

-half a brown onion

-teaspoon of sea salt

-whole tomato (Diced)

-Tablespoon of lime juice

Toppings (Optional);

-Coriander finely chopped

-1/2 Red onion finally chopped

-1 Jalapeno finally chopped

-Balsamic glaze (If having with toast)

Instructions:

1. Roughly slice up the onion and along with the diced tomato, throw it into a food processor and blitz till it is a paste

2. Add salt and lime juice and blitz till combined (here you can taste and adjust the lime juice as necessary)

3. Add the avocado in and blitz slowly to combine. Blitz slowly to avoid turning the mixture into a mush. Control as necessary to get the guac at the required consistency.

4. Serve with Corn chips or have it on sourdough toast for a delicious snack!

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

14/Nov/2025

Shalini’s Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

· 360 g Plain Flour

· 1 teaspoon baking powder

· ½ teaspoon baking soda

· ½ teaspoon salt

· 226 g unsalted butter, softened

· 250g granulated white sugar

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 2 tablespoons lemon juice

· 1 tablespoon lemon zest

· 1 egg (room temperature)

· 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170C Fan Forced, and line a tray with baking paper

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking po

wder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add egg and beat to combine. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

5. Add flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed just until no flour streaks remain.

6. Add the white chocolate chips

7. Scoop into balls with a tablespoon and place them on the lined baking tray

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges will look done, but the centre will still look slightly soft.

9. Once you take them out of the oven, leave them on the tray for 5 minutes

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

23/Oct/2025

Discovering the Power of Movement

When I was initially diagnosed with a musculoskeletal condition, I learnt quite quickly from practical experience that when I moved, my stiffness and pain were both much less. Full disclosure: I had always been a swimmer and a weightlifter before my chronic conditions made themselves known, so I wasn’t starting from scratch. Even so, I was so convinced movement was helping me, I did a twelve-month Fitness Coaching course to learn more. For the record, I am 70 years of age with three musculoskeletal conditions.

Learning to Pace Myself

I also participated in a Chronic Pain Management Program at the Barbara Walker Pain Management Centre. That was where I learnt about pacing our activity. Quite often patients may try to do what they did before their condition (or conditions) appeared. That can lead to increasing fatigue or even hurting ourselves.
Pacing is about determining our starting point then increasing what we do, usually at about 10% a week although this can vary from person to person. Of course, not forever – if I increased at 10% a week for 11 years, I’d be climbing Mount Everest now! I can assure you, I am not!

Building my Routine

When I first started, I would do four small walks a day. Five minutes each. I gradually increased each walk over time and decreased the number of walks per day to two or three, depending on the day and other commitments I may have.
At one point each walk was about 12 minutes, three times a day. Before work, lunchtime and after work. Now in my eleventh year of managing my conditions, I walk four kilometres a day, my step goal is 7,500 steps per day and I do strength training three times a week. I still do not do the four kilometres in one walk: I may break it into two walks, sometimes three.

The Importance of Strength Training

Strength training is very important to maintain not only bone density but also muscle strength. I have a damaged lumbar spine: I particularly work on my posterior chain (back muscles) strength to support my back and ensure I am mostly pain free. Although I design my own workouts, I do consult an exercise physiologist.
When I first reintroduced strength training into my routine, I would do less steps on those days. Now, several years later, I no longer need to reduce my step goal on weights days.

Movement for Everyone

Not everyone can walk and weightlift though! Musculoskeletal Health Australia and Epijoint are well aware of that and are promoting chair-based exercise: The World’s Biggest Sit In. Chair-based exercise is an inclusive, accessible form of physical activity suitable for everyone. It offers a range of benefits including improved cardiovascular health, enhanced strength, better flexibility, and increased bone density, all whilst keeping your movements safe and controlled. exercise

Expert Evidence

Arizona-based chronic pain specialist David Tom, M.D. has said:
They see movement as medicine Depending on the severity of your condition, you may not be able to exercise with the intensity that you used to or want to. But if you’ve been avoiding exercise altogether, it’s time to start.
“We used to put patients on bed rest for pain. Not anymore,” says Dr. Tom. “Staying physically active is critical for pain management, as it releases endorphins which can improve your mood and even ease pain.” People who don’t move can get tight muscles, joint pain, muscle strain and spasms, which can worsen existing pain.
Source: 4 Resilient Ways To Cope With Chronic Pain

Caveat:
Make sure you talk to your doctor/(s) and/or physiotherapist before using Movement As Medicine. My purpose is to provide my experience as encouragement from a practical perspective. To illustrate the value of moving. Having said that, not all conditions are the same. Different patients have different comorbidities, different degrees of severity: a host of clinical considerations. Always consult YOUR health care providers.

Additional Information:

Pacing for Beginners

We Need Personalised Numbers

Movement as Medicine

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

16/Oct/2025

Where my OA story Begins:

I have had osteoarthritis, OA, for about 20 years. It began to impact me after a career as a dancer in my early 20s, too many hours spent working in high heels, and genetics. Saddest day ever when I gave away all my heels I couldn’t wear.

I was active, had young kids, walked a lot and was very fit, but my feet were so painful.
No shoes seemed to be comfortable and the thought of going for a long walk became really impossible.

Impacts of OA:

OA started in my feet first and made it painful to walk, one of those things you tend to just put up with until it gets to the point you don’t want to do much of anything that involves using your feet!
Difficult as my jobs involved a lot of walking and standing. Some days were worse than others and you tend to put it aside when it isn’t in the forefront. Shoes became difficult to find as I looked for more comfy styles. Even then, shoes I had worn and then changed for a season, were so painful to wear again.

Doctors tend to be a bit dismissive and say, it’s just arthritis you’ll learn to live with it, take these medications. Sadly, most medications don’t agree with my body, so finding other ways to manage the pain and mobility issues had to be a priority.

Moving Forward:

Gentle is the answer, no strenuous exercising, as I paid for it for days afterwards. So, continuing to keep moving and moderating exercise or activities to suit the condition became priority.
Supplements were unsuitable, I have too many allergies, especially the ones with shellfish. I have tried everything.

OA then started in my hands, which being a cook and painter was very hard to take. I had to keep finding gadgets that could open jars, chop things, and stirring the Christmas cakes became a job for the Kenwood chef. I just couldn’t make the big wooden spoon mix the cake. That was a big disappointment for me.

I also do Aboriginal painting which became very painful. I persisted and found ways to manage by taking short breaks, where once I could sit and paint for hours. I love painting with a passion, so adapting was a must.

Keep moving it or you lose it is a very good reason to keep going, you do lose functionality if you don’t. I also have rheumatoid arthritis and taking steroids has caused osteoporosis, which I had no idea I had until I started breaking bones. In the space of 2 years, I went from being ok, to serious disease. Not a long time in which to lose that much bone, mainly in my feet, which has made my walking even harder, but you keep going, I refuse to give in.

Limited mobility and pain can feel like you want to give up, but keep moving in any way you can, it will help you regardless of age.

The World’s Biggest Sit In – an exciting initiative to help you get moving!

If you want to join a fun event that will help you keep moving and gain some flexibility, join Musculoskeletal Health Australia’s World’s Biggest Sit In on the 26th of October 2025 at Rippon Lea Estate, Melbourne or join in virtually via Zoom – it’s ideal for anyone with OA or another musculoskeletal condition.

MHA are going for the WORLD RECORD for the largest 30 minute chair-based exercise class – so we NEED YOU!! It’s free to register, for more information visit: The World’s Biggest Sit In.

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

25/Sep/2025

Living with a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition often means managing pain, stiffness, fatigue, and reduced mobility. Chair-based exercise offers a safe and accessible way to stay active without putting excess strain on joints or muscles.

What does the research say?

Research shows that seated exercise can improve strength, flexibility, and balance, while also supporting independence in daily activities. For people with MSK conditions, it provides an adaptable alternative to traditional exercise—helping to reduce discomfort, enhance overall well-being, and build confidence to move in ways that feel achievable and sustainable.

Chair-based exercise (CBE) provides a safe, low-impact alternative that is supported by emerging research. Studies have shown that chair-based programs improve muscle strength, balance, and functional mobility, which are essential for preserving independence and reducing the risk of falls Trials in populations with osteoarthritis have demonstrated that chair-based interventions, such can enhance mobility and reduce pain. In addition, structured CBE has been associated with improvements in psychological well being, sleep, and quality of life, highlighting its holistic benefits.

What are some of the benefits?

Chair based exercise has specific benefits as a training method:

Accessibility & Inclusivity: Ideal for those with limited mobility, health issues, or low fitness levels. More likely to be performed consistently and a great way to increase confidence

Improves Strength & Function: Ideal for those with limited mobility, health issues, or low fitness levels. It can also minimise load-bearing and reduce balance issues.

Boosts Mental & Physical Well-Being: Benefits can range from improved mood and sleep to better immune markers and memory even from short sessions.

Feasible Across Settings:Deliverable at home, in clinics, hospitals, or community centers; easy to scale and adopt.

Safety & Compliance: Low injury risk and high adherence across most population groups

It’s important to note that although chair-based exercise has been shown to be effective, it should, in principle, be a starting point for those with low baseline function and be a part of a fuller rejuvenation/rehabilitation process. Overall, chair-based exercise is an evidence-based, adaptable, and inclusive approach to keeping people with MSK conditions active. It enables safe participation in physical activity, supports symptom management, and promotes long-term musculoskeletal health!

Visit the MHA website to explore our collection of Chair-based exercise videos, designed for all fitness levels. Remember to listen to your body, go at your own pace, and avoid pushing beyond your limits. Your safety and wellbeing are always the top priority.

References Cheung, C., Wyman, J. F., Resnick, B., & Savik, K. (2014). Yoga for managing knee osteoarthritis in older women: A pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14(1), 160. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-160

Kim, S. H., & Park, Y. H. (2020). Effects of chair-based resistance band exercise on physical functioning, sleep, and depression in older adults living in long-term care facilities: A randomized controlled trial. Geriatric Nursing, 41(6), 733–739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.07.009

Park, J., McCaffrey, R., Newman, D., & Cheung, C. (2017). The effect of chair yoga on biopsychosocial outcomes among older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 40(2), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0000000000000080

Sitjà-Rabert, M., Martínez-Zapata, M. J., Martín-Rodríguez, S., Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe, A., Rey-Abella, F., Romero-Rodríguez, D., & Bonfill, X. (2015). Effects of a chair-based exercise program on physical fitness in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(10), 799–804. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1548885

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

07/Aug/2025

Exercising when living with chronic musculoskeletal pain can be challenging especially when you’re unsure which movements are safe or effective. Musculoskeletal conditions often cause pain, stiffness, and inflammation in the joints and muscles, making physical activity feel overwhelming. However, regular exercise can help to ease these symptoms, improve mobility, build strength, and support overall wellbeing. A good saying is…MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE!

The key is to find the right type and level of exercise for your individual needs. It’s always best to work with your doctor, physiotherapist, or fitness professional to create a tailored program that suits your condition and goals.

A Daily Dose of Movement

Aim to incorporate some form of movement into your day, consistency is important, even low intensity movement is good…every little bit helps! The most beneficial routines tend to include a mix of:

Flexibility exercises: Stretching and range-of-motion activities help maintain or restore flexibility in your joints and muscles, reducing stiffness and keeping your body moving more freely.

Strength training: Building muscle strength supports your joints, enhances bone health, and improves your ability to carry out everyday tasks.

Aerobic fitness: Activities like walking, swimming, or cycling get your heart rate up, improving cardiovascular health, increasing endurance, supporting weight management, and lowering your risk of other chronic conditions like diabetes.

The most important factor? Choose activities you enjoy. Whether it’s walking with a friend, joining a group class, or trying something new (like chair-based exercise), enjoyment boosts motivation and helps you stick with it.

Gentle Exercise Options

If high-impact activity feels out of reach, there are still plenty of ways to stay active:

Low-impact aerobic activities – such as cycling, walking, and swimming

Tai chi – gentle, flowing movements that promote balance and flexibility

Chair-based exercises – a highly accessible and adaptable option

Why try Chair-Based Exercise?

Chair exercises are ideal for people with limited mobility or those who struggle with balance. They allow you to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and boost circulation all while staying seated or using a chair for support. You don’t need any special equipment or a large space, making them a great option at home, at work, or wherever you feel comfortable.

These exercises are inclusive and easily adaptable. You can adjust the intensity, duration, and frequency to suit your needs, and target different parts of the body. Chair workouts can even be combined with elements of yoga, Pilates, or Zumba for added variety and enjoyment.

Get Started Today

Visit the MHA, World’s Biggest Sit In, website to explore our collection of chair-based exercise videos designed for all fitness levels. Remember to listen to your body, go at your own pace, and avoid pushing beyond your limits. Your safety and wellbeing are always the top priority.

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

09/Jul/2025

Living with a musculoskeletal condition often means managing ongoing pain, fatigue, and emotional challenges. In those tough moments, it’s natural to want to retreat and rest, but it’s also where self-care becomes most important.

The World Health Organization defines self-care as “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.” Self-care is about taking intentional steps to support your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. For people living with musculoskeletal conditions, this means learning what works best for your body and giving yourself the time, space, and support to do it.

Self-care is empowering. It allows you to take an active role in managing your symptoms and improving your quality of life. Promoting self-care means equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to make informed decisions about their health. 

Why does self-care matter? 

Daily symptom management: Practices such as gentle exercise, stretching, rest, and heat/cold therapy can help manage day-to-day symptoms, reduce flare-ups, and increase mobility. 
Staying active and informed: Even small movements can make a difference – consider chair-based exercise as a starting point. Being empowered to understand your condition, and recognising which therapies or activities help, encourages consistent self-care practices and long-term health benefits. 
Nutrition and energy: Eating well supports joint and bone health, reduces inflammation, and improves overall energy levels. Staying hydrated, choosing nourishing foods, and listening to your body are simple but essential acts of self-care.
Mental health and emotional resilience: Living with chronic pain can impact your mood, motivation, and relationships. Self-care also means taking time for mental wellbeing, whether that’s through mindfulness, relaxation, peer support, or connecting with others who understand your experience. Feeling confident in your ability to manage your health can help reduce feelings of stress, helplessness, or frustration.

To support this, Musculoskeletal Health Australia (MHA) has developed a range of tailored self-care plans for specific musculoskeletal conditions. These plans are aligned with the International Self-Care Foundation’s Seven Pillars of self-care. 

The MHA Self-Care Plans provide practical guidance and condition-specific advice to help you better understand, manage your condition, and live well.   

Self-care plans available on the MHA website include: 

Axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA) 
Back Pain

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Osteoarthritis

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Self-care is more than a routine; it’s a mindset. Embracing it fosters resilience, confidence, and a greater sense of control. By making space for your physical and emotional wellbeing, you’re taking powerful steps toward living your best possible life whilst managing your musculoskeletal health. And remember self-care is not selfish, it’s essential.

More to explore

45 simple self-care practices for a healthy mind, body, and soul

Tiny Buddha

Developing a self-care plan

This information was developed for mental health professionals, however there are a lot of useful resources that are helpful for anyone wanting to learn more about self-care.

ReachOut

Does your self-care plan need some TLC?

Musculoskeletal Australia

Self-Care Starter Kit ℠

University at Buffalo, School of Social Work

This information was developed for students studying social work, and professionals working in the field, however there are a lot of useful resources that are suitable for anyone wanting to learn more about self-care.

The seven pillars of self-care

International Self-Care Foundation

How and why to practice self-care

Mental Health First Aid USA, National Council for Mental Wellbeing

How to make a self-care checklist that actually works for you

Healthline

References

(1) Self-care interventions for health, World Health Organization.

(2) Health literacy, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Contact our free national Helpline

Call our team if you have questions about managing your pain, musculoskeletal conditions, treatment options, mental health issues, or accessing services. They’re available weekdays between 9 am-5 pm on 1800 263 265; email helpline@muscha.org or via Messenger.

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

16/Jun/2025

Breakthroughs and Beyond: CAR T therapy in SLE

By Alberta Hoi

For Lani Watson, living with lupus once meant she could barely walk across a room. Diagnosed in 2022, she battled constant fatigue, joint pain, a severe skin rash, and the feeling that her own body was attacking itself. But today, thanks to a ground-breaking treatment, Lani is back playing football and living symptom-free. Her remarkable recovery using CAR T-cell therapy made national headlines – and for good reason.

CAR T therapy, short for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy, is a new and powerful treatment that was originally developed to treat blood cancers. It works by taking a person’s own immune cells and genetically modifying them so they can hunt down and destroy harmful immune cells. Now, researchers are testing whether this same approach can help people with severe autoimmune conditions like lupus.

In lupus, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues, and a type of immune cell called the B cell plays a major role. These B cells produce damaging antibodies and trigger inflammation. The version of CAR T therapy used in Lani’s trial is designed to remove nearly all B cells from the body, even the deep-seated, long-lived ones that are hard to reach with standard treatments. The idea is to give the immune system a kind of “reboot”. After the old B cells are cleared out, new ones gradually return, but they tend to look and behave more like those seen in healthy people.

It’s easy to understand why this approach has sparked so much hope. For patients like Lani, whose disease didn’t respond to regular treatments, CAR T therapy offers real hope. But as researchers involved in these early trials emphasise, it’s not a silver bullet – and it’s not for everyone.

There are several types of CAR T-cell treatments being developed, and each one works a little differently. Before someone can receive this therapy, they need to go through comprehensive assessments, including disease activity scoring, immunological testing, and screening for potential risks. Right now, CAR T therapy for lupus is still experimental and only available through clinical trials

For most people living with lupus, conventional treatments are still the mainstay of care. Medicines like hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants help control flares, protect organs, and improve daily life. These treatments can have side effects, but they are often essential, and they work best when combined with regular check-ups and a strong relationship with your healthcare team.

CAR T therapy is a major medical advance, but it’s also a very intensive process and currently only offered to a select group of patients with severe, hard-to-treat lupus. Even when it works well, long-term monitoring is essential, just like Lani’s 15-year follow-up plan.

The future of lupus treatment is full of promise. But for now, staying connected to your lupus specialist, sticking to your treatment plan, and acting early when symptoms change remain the keys to living well.

Contact our free national Helpline

Call our team if you have questions about lupus, managing your pain, musculoskeletal conditions, treatment options, mental health issues, or accessing services. They’re available weekdays between 9 am-5 pm on 1800 263 265; email helpline@muscha.org or via Messenger.

Musculoskeletal Health Australia

16/Jun/2025

Joe recently took a week off work. Mentally and physically, he’d hit a wall, and with his back pain much worse than usual, he knew he needed to step back, take a breath, and reset.

That wasn’t easy for him to do.

Joe felt like he didn’t have the right to feel off. Didn’t most people experience back pain? He told himself he needed to keep a lid on the pain he was feeling — to just push through, do better, try harder. There were people out there working long hours just to make ends meet, dealing with “real” struggles. He had a steady job, a roof over his head, a good family, and solid mates. So, what was his excuse for feeling like he couldn’t cope?

That guilt made things worse. He couldn’t let go of the (ridiculous and outdated) thought that men weren’t supposed to feel this way. He felt selfish for not just ‘pushing through’.

But when Joe finally brought up how he was feeling with his GP and then later his mates, he realised he wasn’t the only one who felt like this.

And just like Joe, a lot of us living with musculoskeletal conditions are running on empty and just trying to keep it together.

So, for anyone out there who needs to hear this, IT’S OKAY.

It’s ok to take a break or to rest. You’re not a machine. Take the time you need to recover, both physically and mentally, from the things that are affecting you. That way, if you do return to what you were doing, you’ll feel refreshed and better able to deal with everything.

It’s ok to say no. We all want to please others, to be the go-to guy, so sometimes saying ‘no’ can be a real challenge. But you need to weigh up how you’re feeling and all the things you have going on and decide whether you can take on something else. If you can’t, then say no. Importantly, don’t feel you have to apologise for doing so.

It’s ok to listen to your body. In fact, it’s necessary. Living with a chronic condition means that you need to be aware of how you’re feeling. If you’re tired, rest. If your back hurts, move. If you’re feeling sluggish, get some air. Try and listen to whatever your body is telling you- listen and take action.

It’s ok to talk about mental health. Actually, it’s vital that we do. The more we talk about mental health and how we’re feeling, the less stigma will surround it, leading to more people opening up about their mental health and getting help when they need it.

It’s ok not to be perfect. No one is, no matter how they appear at work, around mates, or on social media.

It’s ok to put yourself first. Sometimes we need to make ourselves our top priority– whether that’s physically, mentally and/or emotionally. You’ll be better able to help others when you’ve taken time to look after yourself.

It’s ok to have an untidy house/car/office. Or for the grass to need mowing. Or for pet hair to cover every surface of your home. Sometimes things get a little untidy as we prioritise our health and wellbeing over making the bed, cleaning the bathroom or putting away the dishes. And that’s ok.

It’s ok not to watch the news. Take time to unplug from the often-chaotic 24/7 news cycle and focus on the world around you, including you, your family and friends.

It’s ok to be kind to yourself. Our inner critic can be really loud at times. If yours is giving you grief, ask yourself – would you say those things to someone you love? The answer is probably no. So quiet that inner voice by making a list of three things you like about yourself, and keep it on your phone or stick it on the fridge. Remind yourself of these things regularly.

It’s ok to forgive yourself. We often beat ourselves up for the smallest of mistakes. If you made a mistake – (or are being super-critical of yourself) – look at what you did, learn from it and move on – or talk about it if this is proving difficult. Don’t just keep thinking about it – it’ll only drive you crazy, add to any unease you’re feeling and make you more unhappy.

It’s ok to not be ok and feel sad/angry/vulnerable. Your feelings are valid, and they matter. However, if you feel like negative feelings are taking over, talk with someone. A trusted friend or family member, or a healthcare professional. While it’s ok to feel like this from time to time, you don’t want to feel like this all the time. And you don’t have to. There’s help available.

It’s ok to cry. We all have difficult days, and crying can be an outlet when we feel sad, stressed, overwhelmed, scared, angry or in pain. So, let it out.

It’s ok to put your phone down. We look at them too often anyway, so put it away for an hour, a day, a week. Be present and be mindful of the people and what’s going on around you.

It’s ok to admit you’re struggling. And it’s ok to ask for help. It doesn’t mean you’re not a capable person. It just means that in this time and place, you need some help. And that’s fine. We all need help every now and then.

It’s ok to take your time. We don’t always have to be in a hurry. Make space to breathe and be still, meditate and be mindful.

It’s ok not to have all the answers. You’re not Google or ChatGPT. Saying ‘I don’t know’ is a valid and human thing to say.

It’s ok to put aside your ‘to-do’ list and be spontaneous. Lists can help us feel in control and organised, but sometimes it feels amazing to toss the list aside and just do something unexpected, just because you can.

It’s ok to do more of the things that make you feel good. Playing sport, catching up with your mates, picnics with the family, reading a book to your kids…whatever it is that makes you feel good can help you recharge your battery, reset and make you a happier person.

And remember, it’s ok to be you.

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Crisis support

If this article has raised some issues with you, there is help available. Contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 for 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention.

More to explore

- Beyond Blue
- Healthy Male
- R U OK?
- Head to Health – Australian Government Department of Health

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And remember, it’s ok to be you.

Contact our free national Helpline

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