Daily physical activities of patients with chronic pain or fatigue versus asymptomatic controls. A systematic review

Abstract

Objective: To gain an insight into the daily physical activity levels of patients with chronic pain or fatigue compared with asymptomatic controls.

Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Picarta, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, reference tracking and a manual search of relevant journals.

Review methods: A systematic, computerized database search of the medical databases up to September 2006 was performed. In addition, a hand search of relevant journals was carried out. Appropriate studies reported on the daily physical activities of adult patients with chronic pain or fatigue and included an asymptomatic control group. Two reviewers independently carried out methodological quality assessment and data extraction. A qualitative analysis was performed.

Results: Twelve studies were included, involving five different syndromes. Results show large heterogeneity in methods used and syndromes investigated, which limited evidence. Eleven different methods were used to assess daily physical activities resulting in 16 different outcome parameters. There seem to be differences between the different syndromes, but results are not conclusive. Eight studies reported a lower physical activity level in patients compared with controls. There seems to be a difference in results between studies using objective versus those using subjective methods.

Conclusions: Results reported in the literature with respect to the activity level of patients with chronic pain or fatigue compared with controls were too heterogeneous to give sufficient evidence and were not conclusive.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Breivik H. , Collett B. , Ventafridda V. , Cohen R. , Gallacher D. Survey of chronic pain in Europe: prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment . Eur J Pain 2006; 10: 287—333.

Visser Jtj. Het chronische-vermoeidheids-syndroom: stand van zaken. Modern Med 2001; 1 Jan.

Ainsworth BE , Youmans CP Tools for physical activity counseling in medical practice. Obes Res 2002; 10(suppl 1): 69S—75S, Review.

Mouton CP , Calmbach WL , Dhanda R. , Espino DV , Hazuda H. Barriers and benefits to leisure-time physical activity among older Mexican Americans. Arch Fam Med 2000; 9: 892—97.

Wessely S. , Butler S. , Chalder T. , David A. The cognitive behavioural management of post-viral fatigue syndrome. Wiley, 1991: 305—15.

Brox JI , Storheim K. , Holm I. , Friis A. , Reikeras O. Disability, pain, psychological factors and physical performance in healthy controls, patients with sub-acute and chronic low back pain: a case-control study. J Rehabil Med 2005; 37: 95—99.

Vlaeyen JW , Kole-Snijders AM , Boeren RG , van Eek H. Fear of movement/(re)injury in chronic low back pain and its relation to behavioral performance. Pain 1995; 62: 363—72.

Hasenbring M. , Marienfeld G. , Kuhlendahl D. , Soyka D. Risk factors of chronicity in lumbar disc patients. A prospective investigation of biologic, psychologic, and social predictors of therapy outcome. Spine 1994; 19: 2759—65.

Mayer T. , Tabor J. , Bovasso E. , Gatchel RJ Physical progress and residual impairment quantification after functional restoration. Part 1: lumbar mobility. Spine 1994; 19: 389—94.

10.

Neerinckx E. , Van Houdenhove B , Lysens R. , Vertommen H. , Onghena P. Attributions in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome in tertiary care. J Rheumatol 2000; 27: 1051—55.

11.

De Becker P. , Roeykens J. , Reynders M. , McGregor N. , De Meirleir K. Exercise capacity in chronic fatigue syndrome . Arch Intern Med 2000; 160: 3270—77.

12.

Farrell MJ , Gibson SJ , Helme RD Measuring the activity of older people with chronic pain. Clin J Pain 1996; 12: 6—12.

13.

Keen S. , Dowell AC , Hurst K. , Klaber Moffett JA , Tovey P. , Williams R.

Individuals with low back pain: how do they view physical activity?

Fam Pract 1999; 16: 39—45.

14.

Geisser ME , Robinson ME , Miller QL , Bade SM Psychosocial factors and functional capacity evaluation among persons with chronic pain. J Occup Rehabil 2003; 13: 259—76.

15.

Hasenbring M. , Hallner D. , Klasen B.

Psychological mechanisms in the transition from acute to chronic pain: over- or underrated?

Schmerz 2001; 15: 442—47.

16.

Verbunt JA , Westerterp KR , van der Heijden GJ , Seelen HA , Vlaeyen JW , Knottnerus JA Physical activity in daily life in patients with chronic low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 726—30.

17.

Spenkelink CD , Hutten MM , Hermens HJ , Greitemann BO Assessment of activities of daily living with an ambulatory monitoring system: a comparative study in patients with chronic low back pain and nonsymptomatic controls. Clin Rehabil 2002; 16: 16—26.

18.

Kop WJ , Lyden A. , Berlin AA et al. Ambulatory monitoring of physical activity and symptoms in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Arthritis Rheum 2005; 52: 296—303.

19.

Tulder van MW , Assendelft WJ , Koes BW , Bouter LM Method guidelines for systematic reviews in the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group for Spinal Disorders. Spine 1997; 22: 2323—30, Review.

20.

Black CD , O'Çonnor PJ , McCully KK Increased daily physical activity and fatigue symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Dyn Med 2005; 4: 3.

21.

Bazelmans E. , Bleijenberg G. , van der Meer Jwm , Folgering H. Is physical deconditioning a perpetuating factor in chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled study on maximal exercise performance and relations with fatigue, impairment and physical activity. Psychol Med 2001; 31: 107—14.

22.

Van der Werf SP , Prins JB , Vercoulen Jhm , van der Meer Jwm , Bleijenberg G. Identifying physical activity patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome using actigraphic assessment. J Psychosom Res 2000; 49: 373—79.

23.

Sisto SA , Tapp WN , LaManca JJ et al. Physical activity before and after exercise in women with chronic fatigue syndrome. Q J Med 1998; 91: 465—73.

24.

Vercoulen Jhmm , Bazelmans E. , Swanink Cma et al. Physical activity in chronic fatigue syndrome assessment and its role in fatigue. J Psych Res 1997; 31: 661—73.

25.

Nielens H. , Plaghki L.

Cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity level, and chronic pain: are men more affected than women?

Clin J Pain 2001; 17: 129—37.

26.

Stronks DL , Tulen Jhm , Bussmann JBJ, Mulder LJMM, Passchier J. Interictal daily functioning in migraine. Cephalalgia 2004; 24: 271—79.

27.

Korszun A. , Young EA , Engleberg NC , Bruksch CB , Greden JF , Crofford LA Use of actigraphy for monitoring sleep and activity levels in patients with fibromyalgia and depression. J Psychosom Res 2002; 52: 439—43.

28.

Munneke M. , de Jong Z. , Zwinderman AH , Tijhuis GJ , Hazes JM , Vliet Vlieland TP The value of a continuous ambulatory activity monitor to quantify the amount and intensity of daily activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 2001; 28: 745—50.

29.

Schoeller DA , Hnilicka JM Reliability of the doubly labeled water method for the measurement of daily energy expenditure in free living subjects. J Nutr 1996; 126: 348S—54S.

30.

Warms CA , Belza BL Actigraphy as a measure of physical activity for wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. Nurs Res 2004; 53: 136—43.

31.

Jacob T. , Baras M. , Zeev A. , Epstein L. Low back pain: reliability of a set of pain measurement tools. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 735—42.

32.

Bussmann JB , van de Laar YM , Neeleman MP , Stam HJ Ambulatory accelerometry to quantify motor behaviour in patients after failed back surgery: a validation study. Pain 1998; 74: 153—61.

33.

Morrell EM , Keefe FJ The actometer: an evaluation of instrument applicability for chronic pain patients. Pain 1988; 32: 265—70.

34.

Bouten CV , Verboeket—van de Venne WP, Westerterp KR, Verduin M, Janssen JD. Daily physical activity assessment: comparison between movement registration and doubly labeled water. J Appl Physiol 1996; 81: 1019—26.

35.

Lee CE , Simmonds MJ , Novy DM et al. Self-reports and clinician-measured physical function among patients with low back pain: a comparison. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 227—31.

36.

Novy DM , Simmonds MJ , Olson SL et al. Physical performance: differences in men and women with and without low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1999; 80: 195—98.

37.

Simmonds MJ , Olson SL , Jones S. et al. Psychometric characteristics and clinical usefulness of physical performance tests in patients with low back pain. Spine 1998; 23: 2412—21.

38.

Haythornwaite JA , Sieber WJ , Kerns RD Depression and the chronic pain experience . Pain 1991; 46: 177—84.

39.

Mallen C. , Peat G. , Croft P. Quality assessment of observational studies is not commonplace in systematic reviews. J Clin Epidemiol 2006; 59: 765—69.