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Psychological factors unrelated to activity level in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain
Author(s) -
Helmus M.,
Schiphorst Preuper H.R.,
Hof A.L.,
Geertzen J.H.B.,
Reneman M.F.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.305
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1532-2149
pISSN - 1090-3801
DOI - 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2011.00109.x
Subject(s) - somatization , coping (psychology) , physical therapy , chronic pain , rehabilitation , visual analogue scale , medicine , psychology , physical activity , anxiety , clinical psychology , psychiatry
Background Enhancement of physical activities is an important goal in rehabilitation programmes for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain ( CMP ). A relationship between activity level and psychological factors is suggested but studied scarcely. Aim To explore the relationship between the activity level and psychological factors in patients with CMP . Methods Study design is cross‐sectional, explorative. Participants are patients with CMP , included for outpatient multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation. Measures Activity level was measured by the RT 3 accelerometer during 1 week; pain intensity was measured with a 100‐mm visual analogue scale; depression, somatization and distress were measured with S ymptom C hecklist‐90‐ R evised ( SCL ‐90‐ R ), coping strategy with the U trecht C oping L ist ( UCL , scales active coping, passive coping, avoiding), fear of movement measured with T ampa S cale of K inesiophobia ( TSK ), scale activity avoidance. Depending on data distribution, correlations between the mean number of activity counts and psychological factors were tested with P earson or S pearman correlation coefficients. Results Fifty three patients were included: age mean 39.9 years [standard deviation ( SD ) 11.3]; activity counts per day mean 198,243 ( SD 78,000); pain intensity mean 58 ( SD 27.7); SCL ‐90‐ R mean 149.4 ( SD 42.5); UCL active coping mean 17.9 ( SD 3.7); UCL passive coping mean 12.3 ( SD 3.7); UCL avoiding mean 15.3 ( SD 3.0); TSK total mean 35.4 ( SD 7.4); TSK activity avoidance mean 16.9 SD (4.7). Correlations between psychological factors and the mean number of activity counts per day ranged from r = –0.27 to r = 0.01 and were all non‐significant ( p ≥ 0.05). Conclusion Psychological factors and activity level were unrelated in patients with CMP .