ECOLOGICAL PAIN AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Volume 9 - No. S2 - Individualized pain management programs for older adults

Sep 29, 2026

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Chronic pain in older adults is linked to lower physical activity, yet how pain characteristics evolve and how changing pain affects day-to-day activity quantity and patterns remains unclear. The PRIME pilot study enrolled 30 older adults with multisite pain and measured pain features during a 2-hour clinic visit. Afterward, ecological pain was tracked via Qualtrics surveys four times daily and wrist Actigraph accelerometry over 14 days. Results show back pain relates to lower activity counts, greater fragmentation, and fewer active minutes, while pain severity effects weaken across the day.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and participant criteria

Measures for pain and physical activity

Statistical results and key associations

Interpretation and recommended management

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 999 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.3371 ECOLOGICAL PAIN AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY VOLUME AND PATTERNS IN OLDER ADULTS Yurun Cai, Paul Scott, Julia Hooker, Ann Barney, and Sophia Holena, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Chronic pain is associated with lower physical activity (PA) levels in older adults. However, pain characteristics change overtime, and the impacts of changes in pain levels on daily PA quantities and patterns remain unknown. The PRIME pilot study recruited 30 older adults (mean age=74.1±6.0y) with multisite pain (≥2 pain sites in shoulder, elbow, hand/wrist, back, hip, knee, or ankle/foot) in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania. Pain characteristics (e.g., severity, laterality, interference) were measured using questionnaires during the 2-hour clinic visit. After the clinic visit, ecological pain was assessed using Qualtrics surveys four times a day, along with Actigraph accelerometer assessment on the non-dominant wrist for 14 days. Linear regression models showed that participants with back pain had significantly lower activity counts (β=-493,271, p = 0.020), higher activity fragmentation (β = 5.0%, p = 0.005), and fewer active minutes (β=-88.4, p= 0.017) . Number of pain sites and severity of hand/wrist pain decreased over a day (β= - 0.08, p = 0.019; β=-0.09, p = 0.042, respectively) but tended to bestable across 14 days. Linear mixed models showed that every 1000 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 one-unit higher in overall pain severity at one time point was associated with 28,480 fewer activity counts at the subsequent time point (p = 0.012), and these associations were weaker at later time points over a day (p = 0.011) . The severity and distribution of pain vary throughout the day, and the impact of pain severity on daily activity weakens as the day progresses. Individualized pain management programs should be provided to older adults with varying pain characteristics, particularly early in the day.

FAQs

What question does the study address about pain and physical activity?

How pain characteristics change over time and how changes in pain levels influence daily physical activity quantities and patterns in older adults.

How were pain and physical activity assessed in daily life?

Pain was assessed using Qualtrics surveys four times per day, and physical activity was measured with wrist Actigraph accelerometers for 14 days.

What did the results show for participants with back pain?

Back pain was associated with significantly lower activity counts, higher activity fragmentation, and fewer active minutes.

Sep 29, 2026

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