• Daniel Gutiérrez-Sánchez, Bella I Pajares-Hachero, Manuel Trinidad-Fernández, Adrian Escriche-Escuder, Marcos Iglesias-Campos, María José Bermejo-Pérez, Emilio Alba-Conejo, Cristina Roldán-Jiménez, and Antonio Cuesta-Vargas.
• Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Malaga, Spain; Departamento de Enfermería, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Málaga, Spain.
• Pain Manag Nurs. 2022 Aug 1; 23 (4): 467-472.

BackgroundCentral sensitization symptoms and pain-related fear avoidance are two common problems in breast cancer survivors. Non-pharmacologic interventions such as therapeutic exercise and patient education can be effective in this population.AimsThis study aimed to: (1) analyze the benefits of a therapeutic exercise and educational program on central sensitization symptoms and pain-related fear avoidance in breast cancer survivors, and (2) explore the association between pain-related fear avoidance and central sensitization symptoms.DesignA single group pre-post intervention study was conducted.MethodsPatients were recruited from the service of Medical Oncology of the University Clinical Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, in Málaga (Spain). The intervention consisted of a therapeutic exercise and educational program that lasted 12 weeks, twice a week, for 1 hour. Two instruments were used: the Spanish version of the Central Sensitization Inventory and the Spanish Fear Avoidance Components Scale.ResultsA total of 82 breast cancer survivors participated in the study. Pre-post change on Central Sensitization Inventory was statistically significant (p = .007). There was a trend towards a significant difference for the Spanish Fear Avoidance Components Scale (p = .062). There was a statistically significant correlation between pain-related fear avoidance and central sensitization symptoms (r = 0.536, p < .001).ConclusionsThe current study has provided preliminary evidence on the benefits of this intervention in pain-related fear avoidance and central sensitization symptoms in breast cancer survivors. The Spanish version of the Central Sensitization Inventory and the Spanish Fear Avoidance Components Scale demonstrated responsiveness to change.Copyright © 2022 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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