Several years ago I received an email from a physiotherapist fresh out of a Masters degree, apparently quite enamoured with the clinical reasoning and pain science aspects. He was charming and respectful. I learnt of his escapades as a younger man, and I noticed (by way of the many interruptions no matter which cafe across town we were sat) his remarkable network of friends. He gave them all attention and some time. He struck me early as having something special going on.

He put honesty over diplomacy: ‘to be honest, Loz, all this Explain Pain stuff you have done – well I reckon it’s not having enough impact out there. Something big is missing.’

‘What’s missing?’ I asked.

Therein started the first of a long series of excellent, candid, challenging and rewarding conversations with Dave ‘Totally Unique’ Moen. Dave is clearly a sharp thinker, a good communicator, committed to the common good, entrepreneurial and ethically minded. He reminded me of one of my favourite Famous Person Quotes “A sharp mind and a good heart is a formidable combination” (Nelson Mandela - I think). I was sufficiently interested in Dave’s ideas that I floated the idea of him pursuing them through a PhD. Supervisors such as myself are always on the lookout for students who will make us look rather better than we are! As he contemplated the idea he gained a deep understanding of self-efficacy theory and put forward ways that it might be integrated with contemporary pain science. He learnt a bit more about attempts being made by others to better integrate pain science education with care. For several years he explored the literature, grilled me on some of the finer aspects of my own work, and simultaneously applied it all to managing clients in his inner-city practice. His approach was therefore informed at a deep level by modern pain science, behavioural change science and self-efficacy theory. His journey has pulled in an impressive array of experts, and in each case he has taken the best of it and built a blended model of care that is both sensible and doable.

In our breakfast chats, I never fail to learn a great deal from Dave and I can see much of what I have learnt within the pages of this book. I have enjoyed his innovation when it comes to creating clinical spaces that ooze possibility and recovery. I have enjoyed his perspectives and real-world insight during our joint project alongside Sam Chisolm, culminating in the Tame the Beast animation and website. I have enjoyed his dedication to doing things that matter, joining our first Pain Revolution rural outreach tour and pushing for better access to contemporary care in disadvantaged groups. He is still channelling his substantial knowledge, significant clinical nous and his disarming persona into better outcomes for his clients. I have respected his self-doubt when it emerges and the honesty and courage with which he uses those times to become better – this aspect of his character may well underpin the approach captured in this book which relies on learning, re-thinking, trying things despite apprehension, overcoming fears and taking on (one of my favourite Dave Sayings) ‘a new sense of what is possible’.

I recommend more patients to Dave’s clinic – the authors of this book – than I do to anyone else. This is because I think they are indeed filling an important, missing bit. I recommend this book to clinicians who want to instil confidence in their clients that it is indeed safe to move and that it is possible to retrain their system back to a normal life. 

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Lorimer Moseley is a founder of Tame the Beast and multi-award winning pain scientist. Permission to Move is a book about pain science with a refreshingly simple approach to treating chronic pain. Get a copy of the book today.