Group-based physical activity for people with persistent pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the barriers and facilitators to engaging in group-based exercise in people with widespread persistent pain or fibromyalgia.
IRAS ID
326639
Contact name
Fiona Muirhead
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Strathclyde
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Persistent pain (or chronic pain) has been identified as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and, in the UK, it is estimated that between 30-50% of the population suffer from persistent pain. Many people with persistent pain (PWPP) experience restrictions in function and have poor health related quality of life (HRQoL). Moreover, persistent pain has been shown to contribute to anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance and inflicts a significant global healthcare cost. Physical activity interventions are a low-risk, cost-effective treatment which have a positive effect on physical and psychological function, pain severity, and HRQoL in PWPP. Undertaking physical activity is challenging for PWPP. Compared to age-matched controls, PWPP demonstrate lower intensity of physical activity in daily-living, and increased sedentary behaviour. Traditionally, treatment of persistent pain has focused heavily on biomedical models of pain, and pharmacological treatments are often used as first line management. Biopsychosocial approaches, incorporating physical activity and changing attitudes and beliefs about persistent pain and physical activity, are often under-utilised despite evidence suggesting that lifestyle interventions such as these are important for this group. The overarching aim of this project is to use co-creation methods (in the form of questionnaires and focus groups) to explore the barriers and facilitators to engaging with physical activity experienced by people with persistent pain and to inform the future development of a novel, evidence-based intervention to effectively increase their physical activity and QoL.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EM/0232
Date of REC Opinion
23 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion