Abstract
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the exercise tolerance and influence of perceptually mediated aerobic exercise rehabilitation (AER) on pain and health-related outcomes in patients with chronic pain disorder (CP).
Methods: Eleven CP patients (mean age 50 ± 12 years) and eight healthy control participants (49 ± 10 years) completed a 12-week supervised AER program, 2 d wk−1. Perceived exercise exertion and the rating of muscle pain were adjusted during exercise to a moderate level and below somewhat strong pain, respectively. The measured outcomes included health status (SF36), percent body fat, 6 min walk test (6MWT), cardiovascular fitness (HR W−1), exercise power output (Watts), and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ-Total).
Results: The before and after AER measured outcomes are expressed as percentage change (%) and standardised effect size (Cohen's d) with 95% confidence limits of the effect size (95% CL). Following AER the CP patients improved 29% in SF36-Total health (d = 0.57; 95% CL: −0.45 to 1.6), 5.1% increase in the 6MWT (d = 0.36; CL: −0.34 to 1.07), 16.7% increased Watts (d = 0.43; 95% CL: −0.02 to 0.88), and 26% reduced MPQ-Total (d = −0.41; 95% CL: −1.15 to 0.33). The effect size change in cardiovascular fitness (HR/Watt) for the chronic pain group is considered trivial at −8% (d = −0.2 HR W−1, CL: −0.3 to −0.03), however, there was a clear trend towards a reduced HR response to the exercise intensity.
Discussion: The present study indicates that perceptually mediated aerobic exercise rehabilitation is associated with high program adherence, improved exercise power output, and reduced exercise muscle pain in chronic pain patients. Moreover, this exercise prescription was associated with improved health outcomes and reduced pain in patients with chronic pain. Perceptually mediated moderate-intensity AER is associated with substantially reduced pain and improved health outcomes in patients with chronic pain disorder.
Methods: Eleven CP patients (mean age 50 ± 12 years) and eight healthy control participants (49 ± 10 years) completed a 12-week supervised AER program, 2 d wk−1. Perceived exercise exertion and the rating of muscle pain were adjusted during exercise to a moderate level and below somewhat strong pain, respectively. The measured outcomes included health status (SF36), percent body fat, 6 min walk test (6MWT), cardiovascular fitness (HR W−1), exercise power output (Watts), and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ-Total).
Results: The before and after AER measured outcomes are expressed as percentage change (%) and standardised effect size (Cohen's d) with 95% confidence limits of the effect size (95% CL). Following AER the CP patients improved 29% in SF36-Total health (d = 0.57; 95% CL: −0.45 to 1.6), 5.1% increase in the 6MWT (d = 0.36; CL: −0.34 to 1.07), 16.7% increased Watts (d = 0.43; 95% CL: −0.02 to 0.88), and 26% reduced MPQ-Total (d = −0.41; 95% CL: −1.15 to 0.33). The effect size change in cardiovascular fitness (HR/Watt) for the chronic pain group is considered trivial at −8% (d = −0.2 HR W−1, CL: −0.3 to −0.03), however, there was a clear trend towards a reduced HR response to the exercise intensity.
Discussion: The present study indicates that perceptually mediated aerobic exercise rehabilitation is associated with high program adherence, improved exercise power output, and reduced exercise muscle pain in chronic pain patients. Moreover, this exercise prescription was associated with improved health outcomes and reduced pain in patients with chronic pain. Perceptually mediated moderate-intensity AER is associated with substantially reduced pain and improved health outcomes in patients with chronic pain disorder.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages | e158-e158 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Event | Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport - Canberra, Australia Duration: 15 Nov 2014 → 18 Nov 2014 |
Conference
| Conference | Australian Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| Period | 15/11/14 → 18/11/14 |