Glossary

Tension

A personal sensation of stiffness, fatigue, pressure or difficulty moving freely.

The sensation is useful information

Tension may change with stress, sleep, posture and activity.

It helps to describe when it appears and what accompanies it.

Not all tension has the same cause

Relaxing treatment is not a diagnostic tool.

Pain, weakness or restricted movement should be assessed by an appropriate professional.

Tension is a sensation, not a complete diagnosis

It may change with sleep, stress, position and activity, so its location alone does not reveal one cause.

Persistent pain or clear functional limitation needs professional assessment.