Physio to cycle 700km to raise awareness for chronic pain

Sophie Stewart will soon feel the gruelling pain those with a chronic illness endure every day.

GOING THE DISTANCE: Physio and Pain Revolution Rural Outreach rider Sophie Stewart with her proud patient Christine Clegg. Picture: Patrick Woods

SOPHIE Stewart will soon feel the gruelling pain those with a chronic illness endure every day.

The Sports and Spinal Nambour associate partner will be participating in the upcoming Pain Revolution Rural Outreach Ride that will see her cycle 700km over Tasmania.

The ride aims to change how people view persisting pain in rural and regional communities in Australia.

Sophie believes it is "exceptionally needed" to raise awareness of the "massive impact chronic pain has on an individual as well as their family".

Promoting education is the most important aspect of the ride, Sophie said.

"When you look at the stats of how chronic illness has been treated up to date, it hasn't been helping people in the way that we hoped.

"So a bit more education into society and into the skills they can actually display themselves to make a difference is a really powerful thing," she said.

Sophie's patient Christine Clegg suffers from the incurable chronic condition Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

She thinks it is "so cool" of Sophie to "go through pain just to empathise" with her.

"I know how fortunate I am to have Sophie and my pain team," she said.

Mrs Clegg believes chronic pain can be "incredibly isolating" because it's not always visible.

"Chronic pain can be incredibly isolating because you can't always see it and you might not be believed."

"It's something that a lot of people will suffer with and don't get the help they need because not enough people know about it."

Sophie will be cycling from Devonport to Hobart from March 16-23.

Each rider has pledged to raise over $3000.

To donate to Sophie head to www.painrevolution 2019.everydayhero.com/au/ sophie-stewart-pain-revolution-2019.