Chronic pain in the elderly, associated factors and relation with the level and volume of physical activity

• Main Author: Ferretti,Fátima
• Publication Date: 2019
• Other Authors: Silva,Marcia Regina da, Pegoraro,Fabiane, Baldo,Jéssica Elis, Sá,Clodoaldo Antonio De
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: BrJP (Online)
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2595-31922019000100003
• topic: Chronic disease; Chronic pain; Elderly; Physical activity

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic pain is associated with functional limitations in the elderly, negatively affecting the health of this population. The activity and/or physical exercise has been proposed as a non-drug intervention with positive effects in the treatment of chronic pain. Thus, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of chronic pain in the elderly, analyze the factors associated with pain and its relationship with the level and volume of physical activity practice. METHODS: Quantitative and cross-sectional research with 385 elderly (67.3% women and 32.7% men) who were evaluated regarding the level and volume of physical activity practice, the presence of chronic diseases, presence and intensity of chronic pain. RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic pain in the sample was 58.2% and was associated with the gender and the presence of chronic diseases (p<0.001). The median pain intensity was higher in sedentary women (p=0.005), as they presented a lower volume of physical activity practices (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of chronic pain among the evaluated elderly is high and associated with the presence of chronic diseases and to gender, being more prevalent among women. Sedentary or insufficiently active elderly women report higher pain intensity than active and very active women. There is poor correlation indicating that the level of physical activity decreases with increasing pain intensity and the number of chronic diseases. Elderly people with chronic pain have significantly lower volumes of physical activity practice than those who do not.