Practical applications of home-based program to improve quality of life among older people with chronic pain

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11201
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Takasaki University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Higuchi Daisuke 高崎健康福祉大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (80736265)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 慢性痛 / 身体活動 / 運動恐怖 / 健康関連QOL / 高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through a series of studies, we aimed to develop a "Physical Activity Program" for the older individuals with chronic pain and/or numbness. First, physical activities and exercises that could be performed and continued even by the older individuals were extracted and adopted as exercise tasks for the "Physical Activity Program". A randomized controlled trial was conducted in older individuals with persistent pain and/or numbness after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. The results showed that the "Physical Activity Program" was effective in improving quality of life as well as kinesiophobia. It was also found that this "Physical Activity Program" may have a relatively large effect among women.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

慢性的な痛みやしびれは高齢者の生活の質を低下させる要因のひとつである。ただし、慢性的な痛みやしびれを完全になくすことは現実的に難しく、痛みやしびれそのもの以外からの介入方法の確立が必要である。本研究課題では、身体活動が痛みやしびれがある高齢者の生活の質を改善させる効果があることを示すことができた。この成果は、慢性的な痛みやしびれのある高齢者の在宅リハビリテーションの推進に寄与するものと考えられる。