Assessment of aerobic power in chronic pain patients before and after a multi-disciplinary treatment program

Physical exercise is widely used in the treatment of chronic pain patients, and direct measurement of physical capabilities is needed to objectively document change. In this study, 46 residential chronic pain patients undergoing treatment at a multidisciplinary rehabilitation center were administered a cycle ergometer graded exercise test, using a Medical Graphics CAD/NET exercise system, to measure aerobic fitness and other physiological parameters before and after the four-week treatment program. Patients evinced highly statistically significant changes in all major indices of cardiopulmonary functioning, including MAXVO2 and METS, and a measure of lower body power (WATTS). Possible mechanisms underlying such dramatic changes in this short time period include improved physical fitness, learning or desensitization to symptoms associated with exertion, and improved effort. Documenting treatment-related changes is important, and metabolic exercise testing provides an objective method for assessing changes in functional capacities. Such changes may have important practical implications for these individuals. The importance of assessing and improving aerobic fitness in chronic pain populations is discussed.