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Association of Pain and Impact of Dual-Task Exercise on Function, Cognition and Quality of Life

  • Original Research
  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the factors associated with pain and evaluate the impact of dual-task exercise on pain improvement, quality of life (QOL), cognition and function in older adults.

Patients and Methods

This study is a secondary data analysis of the HAPPY (Healthy Ageing Promotion Program for You) study. At risk older adults ≥ 60 years old were enrolled in a community dual-task exercise program. Assessments for frailty, sarcopenia, falls, quality of life (QOL) and perceived health, depression, cognition and physical function were performed at baseline and 3 months. Pain intensity was derived from EQ-5D and stratified into no pain, slight pain and moderate to extreme pain.

Results

Out of 296 participants, 37.2% had slight pain and 11.1% had moderate to severe pain. Both slight and moderate to extreme pain compared with no pain group were significantly associated with lower perceived health (68.2,63.6 vs 76.0) and QOL index (0.70,0.59 vs 0.93); moderate to extreme pain was also significantly associated with depression, low mental vitality, frailty, sarcopenia and poorer physical performance. After 3 months of dual-task exercise, pain improved in 70.8% of the moderate to extreme pain group and 50.8% of slight pain group. Significant improvement in perceived health, QOL, physical function and cognition were also observed.

Conclusion

Proactive efforts are required to screen for pain and manage frailty, sarcopenia and depression. Dual-task exercise proved safe and possibly effective in reducing pain and improving QOL, physical and cognitive function in older adults. Prospective randomized studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of dual-task vs single-task exercise, including impact of reversal of frailty and sarcopenia in pain management.

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Abbreviations

HAPPY:

Healthy Aging Promotion Program for You

QOL:

quality of life

EQ VAS:

EuroQol Visual Analog Scale

EQ Index:

EuroQol Index

ADL:

activities of daily living

IADL:

instrumental activities of daily living

cMMSE:

modified Chinese Modified Mini Mental State Examination

MoCA:

Montreal Cognitive Assessment

GDS:

Geriatric Depression Scale

HGS:

hand grip strength

SPPB:

Short Physical Performance Battery

VIF:

variance inflation factors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Surein Sandrasageran for leading the team of health coaches in the community to conduct the dual-task exercise in the neighbourhood setting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, Singapore, 119228

    Reshma A. Merchant & S. E. Ng

  2. Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Reshma A. Merchant, J. Nathania, J. Y. Lim & G. C.-H. Koh

  3. Department of Geriatrics Medicine, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    L. Au

  4. Healthy Ageing Programme, Alexandra Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore

    S. Seetharaman

  5. National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore

    G. C.-H. Koh

  6. Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    G. C.-H. Koh

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Supplementary Table 1: Baseline participant characteristics for those who participated in dual-task exercise with available data at 3 months and drop-outs

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Merchant, R.A., Au, L., Seetharaman, S. et al. Association of Pain and Impact of Dual-Task Exercise on Function, Cognition and Quality of Life. J Nutr Health Aging 25, 1053–1063 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1671-x

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