Skeletal muscle is not just a tissue — it is a metabolic organ. It regulates blood sugar, manages inflammation, maintains hormonal balance, and serves as the body's primary reservoir of energy during acute illness and surgery.

While exercise has been prescribed for chronic pain because it helps improve strength, mobility and physical function, a newly published scientific review suggests the benefits may be even more profound. The authors highlight that appropriately prescribed exercise can help retrain the way the brain interprets pain, build confidence in movement and support people to return to the things that matter most in their lives.

At Chronic Care Australia, we believe that health extends beyond treating disease. While evidence-based Exercise Medicine is fundamental to improving physical function, strength and longevity, growing research shows that our sense of belonging, purpose and contribution to others is equally important for mental wellbeing and long-term health.

Our bodies are not static - they continue to change throughout life in response to everything from activity levels and nutrition to inflammation, stress and the environments we live in. One of the most profound changes that accompanies ageing is the gradual loss of lean muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia).