Review Article
Year: 2021 | Month: June | Volume: 11 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 219-225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20210634
Chronic Pain and Fear-Avoidance Beliefs: A Narrative Review
Vrushali P. Panhale1, Prachita P. Walankar2, Sayali S. Khedekar3
1Professor, 2Assistant Professor, 3MPT Scholar, MGM College of Physiotherapy, Navi Mumbai - 400705.
Corresponding Author: Prachita P. Walankar
ABSTRACT
Chronic pain has an impact not only on the physical function but also affects the quality of life of an individual. Psychosocial factors play an important role in mediating chronic pain. Fear-avoidance belief is considered as the important psychosocial factor in predicting patient's avoidance for work and physical activity as well as disability and has strong association with chronic pain. The aim of the study is to review the studies on the relationship between chronic pain and fear-avoidance beliefs. Articles from the PubMed, Research gate, Google Scholar and APTA databases were searched for this narrative review with related keywords like chronic pain, chronic musculoskeletal pain, fear avoidance beliefs, psychosocial factors and quality of life. Total fifteen articles were found. Out of which, five were excluded and ten were studied further. The sum of evidences proves that the fear-avoidance belief is an important predictor of pain. Through this we conclude that the anticipation of chronic pain can further provoke fear-avoidance behaviour and can give rise to a vicious cycle, in which fear can contribute to avoidance of physical activity and work leading to disability.
Key words: chronic, pain, fear avoidance beliefs.