Why Pain in Multiple Areas of the Body Can Affect Your Health More Than You Think

Written by Dr Julian Simpson — Chiropractor with 15+ years of experience, Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation, and author/reviewer of 800+ health articles.

Why Pain in Multiple Areas of the Body Can Affect Your Health More Than You Think

Understanding Multisite Pain, Pain Catastrophising and Physical Function

If you're experiencing pain in your neck, back, shoulders, hips or knees all at the same time, you're not alone. Research shows that pain affecting multiple areas of the body—known as multisite musculoskeletal pain—is surprisingly common and may have a greater impact on your health, mobility and quality of life than pain in a single area.

At Health Wise Chiropractic, we regularly help patients from Sunbury, Melton and surrounding communities who are dealing with persistent pain across several regions of the body. New research highlights why identifying and managing these patterns early may be important for maintaining long-term function and independence.

What Is Multisite Musculoskeletal Pain?

Multisite musculoskeletal pain refers to pain occurring in more than one body region at the same time.

Research estimates that:

• Up to 81% of adults experience pain in multiple body regions during their lifetime.

• Prevalence is even higher in adults aged over 65.

• People with multisite pain report lower physical function, poorer mental health, increased healthcare utilisation and reduced quality of life.

• Multisite pain has been linked to a greater risk of disability, falls and reduced work capacity.

Common areas affected include:

• Neck

• Upper back

• Lower back

• Shoulders

• Hips

• Knees

• Wrists and hands

• Feet and ankles

For many people in Sunbury and Melton, these symptoms can develop gradually due to desk work, poor posture, repetitive movements, physical labour, sporting activities or previous injuries.

Key Findings From the Research

Researchers studied 101 adults aged 18 to 85 years and examined how the number of painful body regions affected physical function.

Important Statistics

The study found:

• The average participant age was 40 years.

• 69% were female.

• The median number of painful body regions was two.

• Participants with pain in three or more regions had significantly worse physical function than those with pain in only one area.

As pain spread to more body regions:

Pain Intensity Increased

Average pain scores rose dramatically:

Number of Pain Sites	Average Pain Score (0-10)
No pain	0.14
1 pain site	1.78
2 pain sites	4.15
3+ pain sites	4.97

Physical Function Declined

Participants with pain in more regions demonstrated:

• Slower walking speeds

• Reduced balance performance

• Lower physical function scores

• Greater difficulty performing daily activities

Researchers found that the number of painful body regions explained 20.5% of the variation in physical function, highlighting the significant impact multisite pain can have on everyday life.

What Is Pain Catastrophising?

One of the most interesting aspects of this study examined a concept known as pain catastrophising.

Pain catastrophising refers to a pattern of thinking where a person:

• Focuses excessively on pain

• Expects the worst possible outcome

• Feels helpless about their condition

• Struggles to stop thinking about symptoms

Examples may include:

• "My back pain will never improve."

• "There must be something seriously wrong."

• "Every movement is damaging my spine."

• "I'll never be able to do normal activities again."

Research has shown that pain catastrophising can increase:

• Pain intensity

• Disability

• Stress levels

• Fear of movement

• Healthcare utilisation

What Is Kinesiophobia?

The study also investigated kinesiophobia, which is the fear of movement due to concerns that activity will cause pain or further injury.

People experiencing kinesiophobia often:

• Avoid exercise

• Reduce physical activity

• Become less confident moving

• Develop muscle weakness and deconditioning

Clinically significant kinesiophobia is generally identified when scores exceed 37 on the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia.

Interestingly, participants with multisite pain demonstrated higher levels of movement-related fear compared to those without pain.

The Surprising Finding About Function

Although pain catastrophising and fear of movement increased as pain spread throughout the body, researchers found that these psychological factors contributed relatively little to physical function when compared with overall pain burden.

The strongest predictor of reduced function was:

Global Pain Intensity

Pain intensity alone explained an additional 7% of the decline in physical function, beyond demographic factors and number of pain sites.

Researchers concluded that:

The more pain a person experiences throughout their body, and the more intense that pain becomes, the greater the impact on physical function.

This finding reinforces the importance of addressing pain early before it progresses and affects multiple regions.

Why This Matters for People in Sunbury and Melton

Many people seek chiropractic care after initially experiencing discomfort in one area, such as the neck or lower back.

Over time, compensatory movement patterns can contribute to symptoms spreading into other areas including:

• Headaches

• Shoulder pain

• Mid-back pain

• Hip pain

• Knee pain

When pain affects multiple regions, people often:

• Move less

• Exercise less frequently

• Sleep poorly

• Feel more fatigued

• Experience greater stress

These factors can create a cycle that affects both physical and emotional wellbeing.

A Whole-Person Approach to Pain Management

The research supports a biopsychosocial approach to managing musculoskeletal pain.

This means considering:

Physical Factors

• Joint mobility

• Muscle tension

• Posture

• Movement patterns

• Previous injuries

Psychological Factors

• Stress

• Pain beliefs

• Fear of movement

• Confidence in recovery

Lifestyle Factors

• Sleep quality

• Physical activity levels

• Work demands

• Ergonomic setup

• General health habits

At Health Wise Chiropractic Sunbury and Melton, our goal is to help patients understand the factors contributing to their symptoms while supporting improved movement, function and quality of life.

When Should You Seek Help?

Consider seeking professional assessment if you experience:

• Pain in multiple areas of the body

• Symptoms persisting longer than a few weeks

• Reduced mobility or flexibility

• Difficulty performing normal daily activities

• Recurring neck or back pain

• Headaches associated with spinal tension

• Fear of movement due to pain

• Progressive worsening of symptoms

Early intervention may help reduce the impact of pain on your daily life and prevent further functional decline.

Looking for a Chiropractor in Sunbury or Melton?

If you're experiencing neck pain, back pain, headaches, shoulder discomfort or pain affecting multiple areas of your body, the team at Health Wise Chiropractic is here to help.

We provide evidence-informed chiropractic care for individuals and families throughout:

• Sunbury

• Melton

• Diggers Rest

• Gisborne

• Bacchus Marsh

• Caroline Springs

• Taylors Lakes

• Hillside

• Romsey

• Macedon Ranges

Book an Assessment Today

Our experienced chiropractors can assess your movement, posture and musculoskeletal health to help determine factors contributing to your symptoms and develop an appropriate management plan tailored to your needs.

Health Wise Chiropractic – Helping Sunbury and Melton Move Better, Feel Better and Live Better.

References

Research adapted from: "Multisite Musculoskeletal Pain, Pain Catastrophising, Kinesiophobia and Physical Function" (2025).

How Chiropractic Care May Help

At Health Wise Chiropractic, we take a comprehensive approach to posture-related care.

Treatment may include:

• Chiropractic adjustments

• Postural assessment

• Soft tissue therapy

• Corrective exercises

• Ergonomic advice

• Laser therapy

• Shockwave therapy

• Spinal decompression therapy

We focus on addressing both the symptoms and the underlying biomechanical stress contributing to neck dysfunction.

About the Author

Dr Julian Simpson is an Australian chiropractor with over 15 years of experience in musculoskeletal healthcare and rehabilitation.

He is a Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation and has reviewed and written more than 800 evidence-based health articles focused on spinal health, rehabilitation, sports injuries and conservative care approaches.

His treatment focus includes:

• Chiropractic adjustments

• Sports chiropractic

• Massage therapy

• Shockwave therapy

• Laser therapy

• Non-surgical spinal decompression

Dr Simpson provides patient care through Healthwise Chiropractic, serving communities including Sunbury, Melton, Diggers Rest and surrounding regions.

Reference

Burton W, Ma Y, Long CR, McCarey J, Vining R, Manor B, Hausdorff JM, Kowalski MH, Wayne PM. Exploring the relationships between multisite musculoskeletal pain, pain characteristics, and physical function: a cross-sectional analysis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2026 May 21. doi: 10.1186/s12891-026-09990-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42168957.