Nashville therapist reports year without chronic back pain after adding daily affirmations

Allyn Minton has been free of chronic back pain for a full year. The Nashville-based licensed physical therapist attributes her recovery to a routine that pairs physical movement with daily mental exercises.

Minton first injured her back in her 20s while transferring a patient. She managed the discomfort for years through core-strengthening exercises and standard physical therapy. However, the pain returned with predictable severity on the same date each year, regardless of her physical condition.

“Over the years, as I would get stressed through times in my life, my dad getting cancer and passing away, my back would start to just go out on me,” Minton said. “I went to the doctor, and he said, ‘Allyn, you were here last year to the day.’”

The recurring pattern ended one year ago when Minton began focusing on the connection between her nervous system and her thoughts. She started repeating affirmations for 20 minutes each day to calm her physiological response to stress.

“As I started calming the nervous system and looking at those thoughts, slowly with the repetition of affirmations, it’s that repetition that’s key, my thoughts started to change. And my back pain disappeared,” Minton said.

Research supports the integration of psychological and physical treatments for pain management. A 2022 review of multiple studies published in the Harvard Gazette found that reframing negative thoughts alongside physical therapy can alter how the body perceives pain. Studies on neuroplasticity indicate that repeated behaviors can create new neural pathways, helping to alleviate chronic conditions.

Minton opened Swell Studio after she began using low-impact exercise to manage her initial injury. She now advocates for her method, noting that a tense body in a state of fight or flight prevents the mind from relaxing. She believes this simple addition to a physical routine offers a viable path for the 2.4 billion people globally who suffer from chronic pain.