Words: Laura Potter. Photograph: iStock
LET’S GET PHYSICAL
New research has shown that physical therapy can help us stop overusing opioid painkillers. In England, GPs prescribed 23.8 million opioid-based painkillers in 2017, which is 10 million more than in 2007, but US researchers may have the answer. They analysed data from nearly 89,000 pain patients and found that those who were given physical therapy for neck, shoulder, lower-back or knee pain were up to 16 per cent less likely to use opioids. Those who still reached for meds used 5-10 per cent less than if they hadn’t received physical therapy.