European journal of pain : EJP
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The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between leisure time physical exercise, body mass index (BMI) and risk of chronic arm pain. ⋯ Regular physical exercise reduces risk of chronic arm pain while high BMI increases the risk. Exercise can to some extent compensate for the adverse effect of obesity on risk of chronic arm pain.
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The field of chronic pain medicine is currently facing enormous challenges. The incidence of chronic pain is increasing worldwide, particularly in the developed world. As a result, chronic pain is imposing a growing burden on Western societies in terms of cost of medical care and lost productivity. ⋯ The development of objective measurements of pain and ability to predict treatment responses in the individual patient is critical to improving pain management. Finally, pain medicine must embrace the development of a new evidence-based therapeutic model that recognizes the highly individual nature of responsiveness to pain treatments, integrates bio-psycho-behavioural approaches, and requires proof of clinical effectiveness for the various treatments we offer our patients. In the long-term these approaches will contribute to providing better diagnoses and more effective treatments to lessen the current challenges in pain medicine.