Unlocking Better Movement: How ISM is Redefining Physio in Singapore

When most people think about physiotherapy, they picture massage, stretches, or exercises for an injured muscle or joint. While these treatments can certainly help, they only address the location of pain — not necessarily the reason it exists.

At Physionique Singapore, we take physiotherapy a step further with the Integrated Systems Model (ISM), a modern approach that doesn’t just treat pain but finds and corrects its root causes. The result? Faster recovery, fewer flare-ups, and a long-term solution that helps you move and live better.

We are proud to be one of the only clinics in Singapore offering ISM, and in this blog, we’ll explain how physiotherapy works, what makes ISM different, and why it can be more beneficial for you.

How Physiotherapy Traditionally Works

Physiotherapy is all about restoring movement and reducing pain through evidence-based techniques. A traditional physiotherapy session usually involves:

• Assessing the injured body part (e.g., knee pain after a run).

• Using manual therapy, stretching, or exercise to ease pain.

• Recommending strengthening exercises to prevent re-injury.

  
  

This works well for many conditions — such as sports injuries, back pain, or post-surgery rehab. If your ankle is sprained, a physio will strengthen the ankle and restore mobility. If your shoulder is sore, they’ll loosen tight muscles and retrain shoulder stability.

But here’s the catch: what if your pain isn’t caused by a problem in that area?

For example, someone with persistent knee pain might not actually have a knee problem. The real issue could be stiff hips or weak core control. In such cases, traditional physiotherapy may help temporarily, but the pain often returns.

What is the Integrated Systems Model (ISM)?

The Integrated Systems Model, developed by Canadian physiotherapist Diane Lee and her colleagues, is a breakthrough in physiotherapy. Its philosophy is simple but powerful:

“Where you feel pain is not always where the problem is.”

ISM looks at the body as a connected system. Instead of zooming in only on the painful joint, ISM assesses how different parts of the body work together.

An ISM assessment includes:

• Posture and alignment – how your body holds itself in daily life.

• Mobility and stiffness – which joints are moving too much or too little.

• Muscle activation – whether the right muscles are firing at the right time.

• Breathing mechanics – since poor breathing can affect spinal stability.

• Movement patterns – how you walk, squat, or reach overhead.

During the assessment, the physiotherapist looks for “drivers” — the key area(s) that are causing problems elsewhere.

For example:

• Shoulder pain may be driven by stiff ribs or poor core stability.

• Chronic back pain may be driven by hip mobility issues.

• Knee pain may be driven by poor pelvic alignment.

By identifying and correcting these drivers, ISM treats the cause instead of just the symptom.

Why ISM is More Beneficial

Traditional physiotherapy is effective, but ISM has several unique advantages that make it especially powerful:

1. Root Cause Focus

   • ISM identifies the real driver of your problem, not just the painful area. This prevents you from going in circles with temporary fixes.

2. Faster Recovery

   • By addressing the true source of dysfunction, progress often happens more quickly.

3. Personalised Treatment

   • Every body is different. ISM tailors the plan to your unique movement patterns and lifestyle.

4. Long-Term Prevention

   • Fixing the drivers reduces the risk of pain returning.

5. Functional Relevance

   • ISM assessments mimic real-life tasks (lifting, squatting, reaching overhead) so improvements translate directly into daily life and sports.

6. Whole-Person Care

   • Breathing, posture, stress, and movement habits are all part of the equation.

Case Example:

A golfer came in with stubborn back pain despite months of treatment. Traditional exercises and stretches helped for a while, but the pain kept returning. 

Using ISM, we discovered the real drivers were hip stiffness and rib cage immobility. By correcting those, his back pain eased quickly, and his golf swing improved.

What an ISM Session Looks Like

Your first ISM session at Physionique begins with a full-body assessment. Instead of only testing the painful area, we look at how your body moves as a whole.

1. Assessment – Your physio will observe your posture, breathing, and movement patterns.

2. Identify Drivers – We test corrections (hands-on adjustments, taping, breathing cues) to see which area is truly driving your pain.

3. Treatment – This may include manual therapy, retraining specific muscles, mobility drills, and functional exercises.

4. Education – You’ll learn why your pain developed and how to prevent it from returning.

   
   

Patients often leave with a “lightbulb moment” — finally understanding the real reason for their pain.

Why Choose Physionique?

At Physionique Singapore, we are proud to be one of the only clinics in Singapore offering ISM. Our physiotherapists are highly trained in advanced methods and bring years of experience working with athletes, office workers, new mums, and people living with chronic pain.

Whether you’re struggling with recurring injuries, long-term pain, or just want to move better, ISM may be the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.

Conclusion

Physiotherapy has always been about helping people recover and move better. Traditional methods work, but the Integrated Systems Model goes beyond by treating the body as a connected whole.

By finding the driver — the true root cause of pain — ISM helps patients recover faster, move more freely, and prevent problems from coming back.

If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of recurring pain or slow recovery, it may be time to try something different. Book an ISM assessment at Physionique Singapore and discover how powerful whole-body physiotherapy can be.

Ready to experience the difference?

 📞 Contact Physionique Singapore today and book your first ISM session.