New Study Reveals The Importance of Psychological Factors in Pain Experiences
How much do psychological and behavioral factors influence the experience of chronic knee pain in individuals with osteoarthritis? Researchers including Burel Gooden from the Washington University in St. Louis and Daniel Kusko from The University of Alabama at Birmingham alongside Roger Fillingim and Kimberly Sibille, aimed to better understand this relationship.
During the study, it was found that individuals with higher levels of depression, anxiety and activity avoidance experienced worse pain and disability while individuals who had better coping mechanisms, stronger social support and more positive attitudes tended to experience less pain and overall functioning.
The study highlighted that focusing not just on physical treatment but also on improving mental health and adopting positive behaviors can significantly alleviate pain and enhance quality of life and called for approaches that included psychological support and strategies that help boost resilience!
The study has been published in The Journal of Pain and can be viewed here!