Psychological resilience matters more than pain intensity for staying physically active among chronic pain sufferers. Scientists studied 172 adults with chronic pain and found resilience was the only consistent factor predicting higher activity levels. “What we found is that it’s not how much pain you’re in that determines whether you stay physically active — it’s how you think about and respond to that pain,” said lead author Nils Niederstrasser. Researchers examined pain intensity, painful areas, pain duration, frailty and fear of movement. Even accounting for pain severity, people with greater resilience stayed more active. “People with greater resilience can maintain a positive attitude and push through discomfort, and this psychological factor is a better predictor of physical activity than pain intensity itself,” Niederstrasser said. (Story URL)
