Chronic pain affects the majority of older adults in the United States, and getting enough exercise plays a key role in pain management. New research suggests that how people think about their pain can have a significant effect on whether they get enough physical activity — or if they spend more time sedentary.
In a study, a team led by Penn State researchers found that when people with knee osteoarthritis «catastrophized» — feeling an exaggerated helplessness or hopelessness — about their pain more than usual, they were less likely to be physically active later in the day, contributing to a domino effect of sedentary behavior followed by even more pain catastrophizing.
According to the researchers, the results — recently published in the journal PAIN — have potential implications for pain management and wellness in older adults, and suggest that pain catastrophizing could be an important therapeutic target for interventions and pain treatment.
«Reducing daily pain catastrophizing may help older patients to be more active and less sedentary on a daily basis,» said Ruixue Zhaoyang, assistant research professor. «This could help improve their chronic pain condition, physical function, and overall health, and reduce the possibility of hospitalization, institutionalization, and healthcare costs in the long term.»
According to the researchers, chronic or persistent pain affects between 60 and 75 percent of older adults in the U.S., making pain management strategies like engaging in enough physical activity an important part of many older adults’ lives.
Zhaoyang said that catastrophizing about pain — thought patterns like «the pain is terrible and is never going to get any better» or «I can’t stand the pain anymore» — may lead some older adults to avoid exercise in an effort to also avoid pain. But if exercise is put off for too long, it can lead to spirals of depression and even worse pain.
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Materials provided by Penn State. Original written by Katie Bohn. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.