About Breakthrough Pain & Performance
A different approach to pain and movement problems. We find and fix the neurological signals that create your symptoms, not just treat where it hurts.
Based in Shiremoor, Newcastle. Serving North Tyneside, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and surrounding areas.
TRUST STRIP
| 17 years clinical experience | 5-star Google reviews | Free taster session | Free parking on site | Sessions available this week |
About Sam Stocks
Sam Stocks has spent 17 years helping people resolve pain and movement problems. His journey to Functional Neurology came from recognising the limitations of conventional approaches.
Early in his career, Sam trained in multiple manual therapy techniques. He learned soft tissue work, joint mobilisation, exercise prescription and rehabilitation protocols. He helped many people, but he also noticed patterns that troubled him. Some clients improved quickly and stayed better. Others improved temporarily but kept coming back with the same problems. And some did not respond meaningfully no matter what he tried.
The conventional explanation was that some conditions are chronic, some people do not do their exercises, and some problems cannot be fixed. Sam did not accept this. He believed there had to be something being missed, a reason why the same techniques worked for some people but not others.
The answer came when Sam discovered Functional Neurology and P-DTR. These approaches explained what he had been observing. The people who got better quickly had problems that responded to tissue-focused treatment because their nervous systems were functioning normally. The people who kept relapsing had underlying neurological dysfunction that was never addressed, so the symptoms returned once the treatment effect wore off. And the people who did not respond had problems that were neurological in origin, not tissue-based at all.
This understanding transformed Sam’s practice. He trained extensively in Functional Neurology and P-DTR, spending years developing the skills to identify and correct neurological dysfunction. He became one of the most experienced practitioners in the North East, with a clinical approach refined through thousands of patient encounters.
Today, Sam works with everyone from office workers with chronic pain to professional athletes seeking performance advantages. The principles are the same regardless of the person: test the nervous system, identify the faults, reset them, prove the change. This approach produces results that conventional treatment often cannot achieve.
Quick Summary:
Many clients see meaningful change in one to three sessions once the neurological cause is identified and addressed.
Our Philosophy
At Breakthrough Pain & Performance, we believe that understanding causes is more valuable than treating effects. Most pain, tightness and restriction are not caused by damaged tissue. They are outputs from your brain in response to the information your nervous system provides.
Your brain constantly receives signals from receptors throughout your body. These receptors detect position, movement, pressure, stretch, temperature and many other inputs. When the information is clear and accurate, your brain allows smooth, efficient, pain-free movement. When the information is unclear or suggests threat, your brain creates protective responses. These show up as pain, muscle tension, restricted range and movement that does not feel right.
The key insight is that these protective responses can persist long after any original problem has resolved. Your tissue heals, but the neurological pattern remains because the receptors continue to send faulty signals. This is why time alone often does not help. This is why stretching and strengthening sometimes make things worse. This is why symptoms that should have resolved keep recurring.
Our approach is to test the information your nervous system is sending, identify where it is faulty, and correct it. When your brain receives accurate information, it stops creating unnecessary protection. Symptoms resolve not because we have masked them or worked around them, but because the neurological driver has been addressed.
This is not alternative medicine or experimental theory. It is applied neuroscience, using what we know about how the nervous system functions to solve problems that tissue-focused approaches cannot.
What Makes Us Different
We Test Everything:
Most practitioners assess the area that hurts. We test your entire nervous system because the cause of your symptoms is often distant from where you feel them. A shoulder problem can be driven by your eyes. A back problem can originate in your feet. We find the true source.
We Address Cause Not Effect:
Pain is an output, not an input. Tightness is a response, not a problem. We identify what is causing your brain to create these outputs and address that. When the cause is resolved, the effects disappear.
We Prove Every Change:
We do not ask you to believe the treatment worked. We test before and after every correction so you feel the change yourself. A muscle that was weak becomes strong. A range that was restricted improves. This happens in the room, immediately.
We Expect Results:
If our approach is right for your problem, you should feel change. Not in weeks or months, but in the session. If we cannot produce change, we tell you honestly and help you find the right approach.
Unlike traditional therapies like physiotherapy or chiropractic that focus on tissues, we test your nervous system for root causes—often resolving issues where they failed.
Training and Expertise
Sam has accumulated extensive training in Functional Neurology and P-DTR over 17 years of clinical practice. His credentials include advanced certification in P-DTR, comprehensive training in functional neurological assessment, and ongoing professional development to stay current with emerging research and techniques.
Beyond formal training, Sam has refined his approach through thousands of clinical encounters. He has worked with chronic pain patients who had seen dozens of practitioners without success. He has helped athletes return from injuries that had sidelined them for years. He has resolved headaches and migraines that medication could not control. Each case has contributed to his understanding of how the nervous system creates symptoms and how to resolve them.
Sam is committed to continued learning and regularly attends advanced training courses to deepen his expertise. He believes that mastery requires ongoing development and that his clients deserve the most effective, up-to-date approaches available.
The Clinic
Breakthrough Pain & Performance is located in Shiremoor, a residential area between Newcastle city centre and the coast. The clinic is purpose-designed for neurological assessment and treatment, with the space and equipment needed for comprehensive evaluation.
The location is easily accessible from across the region. We are close to the A19 and A1, with good transport links from Newcastle, North Tyneside, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, Wallsend, Killingworth, Cramlington and surrounding areas. There is free parking directly outside the clinic.
The environment is professional but relaxed. Sam works one-to-one with every client, providing focused attention throughout your session. There is no waiting room full of other patients, no rushed appointments, no pressure to hurry.
Who We Work With
We work with anyone whose symptoms are driven by neurological dysfunction. In practice, this includes a wide range of people.
People with Chronic Pain:
Those who have had pain for months or years despite trying multiple treatments. The pain may be constant or fluctuating, localised or widespread, predictable or seemingly random.
People with Acute Problems:
Those with recent injuries or sudden onset symptoms who want faster resolution than conventional approaches typically provide.
Athletes and Active People:
Those with performance limitations, recurring niggles, post-injury restrictions or plateaus they cannot break through with training alone.
Desk Workers and Professionals:
Those with persistent tension, postural issues, headaches or discomfort related to their work environment and habits.
Post-Surgical Patients:
Those whose recovery has stalled or who have developed new problems following surgery.
Children and Young People:
Those with developmental movement issues, coordination problems or pain that affects their activities. We have specific expertise in children’s neurodevelopment.
Anyone Seeking Answers:
Those who have been told nothing is wrong when something clearly is. Those who want to understand why their body behaves the way it does.
TESTIMONIALS
What Clients Say About Working With Sam
“Sam takes the time to really understand what is going on. He explained things in a way that finally made sense after years of conflicting advice from other practitioners.”
— Client, Newcastle
“I was amazed at how thorough the assessment was. Sam tested things about my body that no one had ever looked at before.”
— Client, North Tyneside
“The difference between Sam and other practitioners I have seen is that he proves everything. I felt the changes happen, I did not just have to take his word for it.”
— Client, Whitley Bay
Our Values
- Honesty
We tell you what we find, even when it is not what you want to hear. If our approach is not right for your situation, we say so and point you in a better direction.
- Precision
We do not guess. We test systematically to identify exactly what is causing your symptoms. Vague explanations and generic treatments are not acceptable.
- Results
We measure success by the changes you feel and the improvements in your life. If you are not getting better, we need to understand why and adjust our approach.
- Respect
Your time matters. Your concerns matter. Your goals matter. We listen carefully and work with you rather than applying a one-size-fits-all protocol.
- Education
Understanding what is happening in your body helps you recover and stay well. We explain our findings clearly so you know what we are doing and why.
Meet Sam – Founder & Practitioner
I’m Sam Stocks, and I’ve spent over 17 years helping people overcome pain and reclaim their physical capability.
My background spans:
Functional Neurology (P-DTR)
Functional Medicine
Advanced movement coaching and Master of Exercise
Calisthenics Coach specialising in Movement Mastery
Injury rehabilitation
Strength and performance development
My passion for this work comes from my own past injuries, frustrations, and years of searching for answers.
I know how it feels to be limited.
I know how confusing the healthcare system can be.
And I know how life-changing it is when your body finally works the way it should.
Breakthrough Pain & Performance was created so you never have to guess again.
Ready to Work With Us
If you have symptoms that have not responded to conventional treatment, we may be able to help. Book a free taster session to find out whether our approach is right for your situation. In 15 to 20 minutes, we assess your problem, demonstrate how neurological testing works and show you what it would take to resolve your symptoms. Based in Shiremoor, Newcastle. Serving North Tyneside and surrounding areas. Sessions available this week. Free parking on site.