Effects of a Mind-Body Program for Chronic Pain in Older versus Younger Adults.

Lisa R LaRowe, Jafar Bakhshaie, Ana-Maria Vranceanu, Jonathan Greenberg

Journal: Journal of pain research 2023;16():3917-3924

PMID: 38026460

Plain Language Summary

Chronic pain is a prevalent issue, with its prevalence and negative impact increasing with age. Given the ubiquity and detrimental effects of chronic pain, developing interventions that reduce the burden of pain across the lifespan is a major public health priority. The aim of this study was to determine whether older adults (aged 50 and above) derive similar, less, or more benefit from a mind-body program for chronic pain compared to younger adults. This study was a randomised controlled trial that compares the effects of two mind-body interventions, one with and one without a Fitbit device. Results showed that older adults showed greater improvements in performance-based physical function and experienced more significant reductions in pain during activity compared to younger adults. However, no age differences were observed in the effects of the intervention on self-reported or objectively measured physical function. Authors concluded that mind-body programs can be equally or more beneficial for older adults in managing chronic pain, despite the unique challenges they face, such as multi-morbidity and sedentary behaviour. Thus, the findings of this study underscore the potential of tailored interventions to improve physical function and reduce pain across the lifespan.

Abstract

PURPOSE

Improving physical function is key to decreasing the burden of chronic pain across the lifespan. Although mind-body interventions show promise in increasing physical function in chronic pain, very little is known about whether older and younger adults derive similar benefit. Indeed, older adults experience higher rates of chronic pain and greater impacts of pain on physical function compared to younger adults. Therefore, additional work is needed to determine the extent of benefit older versus younger adults receive from a mind-body intervention. Here, we examined age differences in the effects of two mind-body and walking programs on pain and multimodal physical function.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

Participants were 82 individuals with heterogenous chronic musculoskeletal pain (66% female, 57% aged ≥50 years) who participated in a feasibility randomized controlled trial of two mind-body interventions. They completed self-reported (WHODAS 2.0), performance-based (6-minute walk test), and objective (accelerometer-measured step count) measures of physical function, as well as self-report measures of pain intensity, before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

Results indicated that adults aged ≥50 (vs adults aged <50) demonstrated greater improvements in performance-based physical function (6-minute walk test) and reductions in pain during activity. No age differences in the effects of the intervention on self-reported or objectively measured physical function were observed.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, these findings suggest that older adults can achieve equivalent or greater benefits from mind-body programs for chronic pain, despite facing unique challenges to chronic pain management (eg, multimorbidity, greater sedentary behavior).

Address: Mongan Institute Center for Aging and Serious Illness, Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

DOI: 10.2147/JPR.S435639