Numerous studies show that pain following trauma persists in many: one in four have moderate to severe pain 12 months following trauma, and up to one in three have significant pain and disability three years later.

When examining factors associated with persistent pain, a number of indicators emerge. The severity of injury and degree of pain (and its control) consistently predict recovery. Poorly controlled pain in the first week following injury increases the risk of severe pain one year later by two to three times.

Pain is more than just a sensation indicating tissue damage: it is a multidimensional experience. Numerous areas of the brain are activated. The threat of an injury activates a range of responses, not just from the brain but also behavioural. This includes signals from the brain that travel down the spinal cord and to the tissues to inhibit pain, allowing us to survive the initial threat and begin the process of recovery.