An Exploratory Analysis of Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Emotional Functioning in Patients With Chronic Pain

Background: Physical activity (PA) can benefit pain and emotional functioning for patients with chronic pain. However, associations between different intensities of PA (moderate-to-vigorous PA, light PA, and sedentary behavior), pain, and emotional functioning are not well understood in patients with chronic pain. Objective: The goals of this study were to (1) describe PA patterns of adult patients with chronic pain using accelerometers and (2) explore preliminary associations between PA intensities, pain, and emotional functioning. Methods: Thirteen patients with chronic pain completed self-report measures of pain, cognitive and emotional reactions to pain, depression and anxiety, and wore ActiGraph accelerometers for 1 week before participating in a pilot mind-body PA intervention. Results: Sedentary behavior and light activity were strongly inversely correlated (r = −0.93, P < 0.01). Greater sedentary behavior was associated with lower pain during activity (r = −0.55, P = 0.05), and greater light activity was correlated with higher pain during activity (r = 0.63, P = 0.02) and pain at rest (r = 0.54, P = 0.06). However, greater moderate-to-vigorous PA was correlated with lower pain at rest (r = −0.66, P = 0.01), pain catastrophizing (r = −0.53, P = 0.06), depression (r = −0.44, P = 0.14), and anxiety (r = −0.57, P = 0.04). Conclusions: Objective accelerometer-measured PA has the potential to reveal differential associations between PA intensities, pain, and emotional functioning. Findings here suggest preliminary recommendations to focus on interconnections between moderate-to-vigorous PA, pain at rest, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression for patients with chronic pain.