A modern, scientific understanding of pain says for many people, the answer is "yes". The many people that have experienced chronic pain and have recovered to lead full and active lives are a testament to this. Recovery will mean different things to different people. It's an ongoing process - and flip* is designed to allow you to return to living a full, fulfilling life as you diminish the impacts that pain has on your day-to-day. A science-based approach to recovery means finding ways to do challenging activities to enable positive adaptations and increase your capacity for activity. Recovery is the outcome of you engaging fully in a personalised system of self-management of body, mind and social factors.

You get to define what recovery means for you, but it usually sounds like:

“I now have time pain-free and those periods are getting longer and more regular”
"Pain no longer interrupts my life"
"I am able to get all the things done that I want to, without pain getting in the way"
"I don't often have symptoms, but when I do, I have good knowledge of how to deal with them"
"I have more days when I don't even think about pain, than days when I do"
"If I do have pain, it no longer worries me, or stops me doing what matters to me"
"I know I can push myself a bit, and see what I can do, without being worried about pain"

Recovery, like pain itself, is individual and subjective. There is no test for recovery, it's up to you to make the declaration that you're living the life you want, free from the symptoms that worry you.

You use the skills you've learned, and keep practicing! If you've had pain for a long time, it's become deeply embedded in your body’s systems. Getting your protective systems to consistently stand down and desensitise will take months and in some cases years. Recovery is dependent upon learning new skills, and continually applying those skills every day.

Pain that persists is just as real as a broken bone or a torn muscle. Modern medicine is very good at finding conditions that are a danger to your health. These are the things you worry about, and so do we. A tiny percentage of pain conditions are caused by "red flags" such as fractures, cancer, infections and other nasties. We'll make sure you're checked out for those. For 99% of the people for whom pain persists, it is caused by bioplastic maladaptation. That's what flip* helps you with.

BOOST Health Labs’ Pain Coaches are expert, pain-informed Allied Health practitioners who are passionate about helping people in pain. Your coach has an in-depth knowledge of pain, enhanced communication skills and a commitment to helping you get back in control of your life. You can learn more about our coaches by visiting our About Us page.

The biggest difference is that flip* has been developed by people with lived experience of recovery from chronic pain. We have used this system in our own recovery journeys, and we know it really works. The key difference – and the key to successful recovery – is systems that are built to be tailored to you. flip* provides 1:1 personalised coaching, and adaptive tools that ensure your recovery is centred around your specific interests, lifestyle and needs.

Chronic pain is pain that persists for more than 3 months. Some people develop chronic pain following an injury, while for others it can be linked to a chronic health condition, such as endometriosis, fibromyalgia, autoimmune conditions, arthritis, etc. And for some people there is no obvious cause or trigger event. flip* is a system that is effective at addressing chronic pain regardless of its genesis.

Unfortunately, it’s extremely common for people experiencing chronic pain to be told that their pain is “all in their head”. Lots of pain education also talks about pain being “in the brain” – and while that’s part of the story, without enough context and information this sounds like a reinforcement of the idea that your pain is not real. We know that your pain is very real. You are not making it up. Chronic pain is a result of bioplastic changes in your brain and body systems. This is what we are here to help you fix!

Lot of people suffering from chronic pain can, and will, live a life without pain – modern science tells us that it is possible to recover and be “pain free”. Recovery takes the right team, the right tools, and time. The amount of time will depend on how long you’ve had pain and how well you’re set up to do the work of recovery. It took BOOST Health Labs’ Founder & Managing Director, Tina, a year to rewire her body’s systems to be completely pain free after 10 years of debilitating hand and arm pain.

For some people, surgery is an appropriate and useful intervention. Your flip* coach will support you on your recovery journey, no matter what it brings. It is extremely important to us that our clients are empowered to make informed decisions about their care, including all medical interventions. If you have concerns or questions about a recommended surgery, or any other medical intervention, we strongly encourage you to have a detailed conversation with you treating medical practitioner(s). Your flip* coach can support you to have this conversation by helping you build a list of specific questions. flip* is an excellent tool for ensuring post-surgical recovery is smooth, by giving you all the extra support you need during your recovery.

Medication can be an important part of a person's recovery plan. Certain medications can help create the necessary conditions for bioplastic change. Other medications can soften the pain so you're able to move more comfortably and sleep better. Your GP or pain specialist can advise you on the most appropriate medication for your condition. One of our priorities is that our clients are empowered to make informed decisions about their care – if you have questions about your medication, we encourage you to have a discussion with your treating doctor. Your flip* coach can support you to have this conversation by helping you build a list of specific questions. Your flip* coach will work with you to help you develop a range of active recovery-promoting skills that may support you to reduce your pain and for some people, reduce the need for pain medications.

Evidence shows that the work of recovery is more effective when it is integrated with a person’s existing routines and lifestyle, rather than the other way around. As opposed to programs that require a person in pain to travel to and interact in an environment ill-suited to their needs, flip* allows people to engage in recovery activities in their own homes or wherever they’re comfortable.

There’s no point in pretending – recovering from chronic pain does require your active involvement. However, flip* is designed to work WITH a person’s individual needs and lifestyle. We don’t want you to turn your life upside down – the point is to build safe patterns that are easily repeatable, and lots of self-regulation tools that are meaningful to you. Which is to say, yes recovering from pain does take work, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Being in pain is the hard bit!

Bioplasticity is entirely based in science! It is an evolution on the concept of ‘neuroplasticity’ and accounts for the fact that your brain and body are ALWAYS working together. You can read more about bioplasticity in Dr David Butler and Dr Lorimer Mosley’s seminal book, Explain Pain. You can also have a look at other pain science resources, including scientific publications, here.

Yes! We have rigorous data collection protocol, and we are currently working on a research project with leading researchers at the University of Sydney and the Australian National University. The paper will be published in 2026. Please reach out if you would like to know more about our ongoing research endeavours.