A significant proportion of adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) experience difficulties in physical functioning, mood and social functioning, contributing to diminished quality of life. Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) is a risk factor for developing CMP with a striking 35-48% of patients with CMP reporting GJH. In case GJH occurs with one or more musculoskeletal manifestations such as chronic pain, trauma, disturbed proprioception and joint instability, it is referred to as generalized hypermobility spectrum disorder (G-HSD). Similar characteristics have been reported in children and adolescents with the hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). In the management of CMP, a biopsychosocial approach is recommended as several studies have confirmed the impact of psychosocial factors in the development and maintenance of CMP. The fear-avoidance model (FAM) is a cognitive-behavioural framework that describes the role of pain-related fear as a determinant of CMP-related disability. Pubmed was used to identify existing relevant literature focussing on chronic musculoskeletal pain, generalized joint hypermobility, pain-related fear and disability. Relevant articles were cross-referenced to identify articles possibly missed during the primary screening. In this paper the current state of scientific evidence is presented for each individual component of the FAM in hypermobile adolescents with and without CMP. Based on this overview, the FAM is proposed explaining a possible underlying mechanism in the relations between GJH, pain-related fear and disability. It is assumed that GJH seems to make you more vulnerable for injury and experiencing more frequent musculoskeletal pain. But in addition, a vulnerability for heightened pain-related fear is proposed as an underlying mechanism explaining the relationship between GJH and disability. Further scientific confirmation of this applied FAM is warranted to further unravel the underlying mechanism. In explaining disability in individuals with G-HSD/hEDS, it is important to focus on both the physical components related to joint hypermobility, in tandem with the psychological components such as pain-related fear, catastrophizing thoughts and generalized anxiety.
BackgroundWorking alliance can possibly influence patients’ experiences of pain and physical functioning. The aim of this systematic review is to merge evidence from literature regarding the influence of patients’ perceived working alliance on pain and physical functioning in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.MethodsA systematic review in which randomized controlled trials and cohort studies were included that assessed the influence of working alliance on either pain or physical functioning in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The methodological quality of the included studies were rated by means of the PEDro score and STROBE statement.ResultsThe first step of the search process provided 1469 studies. After screening, five studies were included in this review including one RCT and four cohort studies of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. One cohort study was rated as low methodological quality and the other studies as high methodological quality. There was a significant effect of working alliance on the outcome of pain severity, pain interference, and physical functioning in all studies. Physical functioning was measured by means of questionnaires and functional capacity tests. The effect on questionnaires was positive; the effect was conflicting on functional capacity.ConclusionWhen influencing pain with treatment, a patient’s perceived working alliance during treatment does predict pain reduction and improvement in physical functioning. It is recommended to inquire about a patient’s working alliance during treatment in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
BACKGROUND: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP), Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH) and pain-related fear have influence on physical functioning in adolescents.AIM: to evaluate differences in physical functioning between adolescents with CMP, GJH or the combination of both, and in addition evaluate the potential contribution of pain-related fear.DESIGN: The design of this study was observational and cross-sectional.SETTING: The adolescents with CMP were recruited by a physician in rehabilitation medicine and measured in the university outpatient rehabilitation clinic (Adelante/Maastricht University Medical Center+, the Netherlands). The adolescents without CMP were recruited in the Southern area of the Netherlands and measured in the university outpatient rehabilitation clinic (Adelante/Maastricht University Medical Center+, the Netherlands).POPULATION: Four subgroups of adolescents were included; 21 adolescents with CMP without GJH, 9 adolescents with CMP and GJH, 51 adolescents without CMP without GJH, and 11 adolescents without CMP with GJH.METHODS: Outcome measures were muscle strength and endurance, motor performance, physical activity level, and pain-related fear. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to study differences in physical functioning and the contribution of pain-related fear in adolescents with/without CMP as well as with/without GJH.RESULTS: Adolescents with CMP had decreased muscle strength (P=0.01), endurance (P=0.02), and lower motor performance (P<0.01) compared to adolescents without CMP. Higher levels of pain-related fear were related to decreased muscle strength (P=0.01), endurance (P<0.01), and motor performance (P<0.01). No differences in physical functioning and pain-related fear between hypermobile and non-hypermobile adolescents with CMP were found.CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with CMP had decreased muscle strength and motor performance associated with increased levels of pain-related fear compared to adolescents without CMP. The association of being hypermobile with physical functioning is not more pronounced in adolescents with CMP.CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: No differences were found in physical functioning and pain-related fear between hypermobile adolescents with CMP compared to non-hypermobile adolescents with CMP. Future rehabilitation treatment in hypermobile adolescents with CMP should also focus on psychological components, such as pain-related fear.
Aanleiding Hoe effectief zijn de chronische pijnprogramma's, vooral op de lage termijn? Die vraag leeft bij een aantal revalidatiecentra in Nederland. De revalidatiecentra behandelen patiënten met chronische musculoskeletale pijn. Veel van de patiënten hebben of krijgen te maken met persoonlijk en maatschappelijk disfunctioneren. Programma's zijn met name gericht op het beïnvloeden en veranderen van het gedrag van patiënten, zodat ze in hun dagelijks leven beter met de pijn om kunnen gaan. Zelfmanagement speelt daarbij een belangrijke rol. Echter, patiënten met chronische pijnklachten zijn lang niet altijd trouw aan hun therapie en gaan ook niet altijd goed om met een terugval. Hulpverleners in chronische-pijnbehandelteams van revalidatiecentra en ziekenhuizen constateren dat een deel van hun patiënten zelfmanagement niet volledig kunnen bestendigen in het dagelijks leven. Doelstellingen Vanuit de beroepspraktijk is de volgende vraag geformuleerd: wat is het langetermijneffect van een chronische-pijnprogramma en zijn er strategieën te ontwikkelen om een eventuele terugval te voorkomen? Deze vraag is leidend in het RAAK-project SOLACE. Het start met een onderzoek naar het langetermijneffect van een revalidatieprogramma en meet de terugval van patiënten die een programma hebben gevolgd. Daarna worden strategieën ontwikkeld die gericht zijn op gedragsbehoud. Professionals, onderzoekers, studenten en docenten werken hierbij nauw samen. Om de effectiviteit van de strategieën in de praktijk te testen, wordt een pilot uitgevoerd. Boogde resultaten Het SOLACE-project verbindt het onderwijs- en onderzoeksveld met de beroepspraktijk door het samen ontwikkelen van strategieën die het vermogen tot zelfmanagement van patiënten met chronische pijn vergroten. Verspreiding van de opgedane kennis en ervaring vindt plaats via de verschillende projectpartners en hun netwerken. Denk aan intercollegiaal overleg, stages en fysiotherapeutische en pijngenootschappen. Daarnaast zullen de resultaten geïmplementeerd worden in het onderwijs van het Instituut voor Bewegingsstudies van de Hogeschool Utrecht.
