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Does going to an amusement park alleviate low back pain? A preliminary study
Toshihiko Sakakibara1, Zhuo Wang, Yuichi Kasai
1Department of Spinal Surgery and Medical Engineering, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
Journal of Pain Research
|November 3, 2012
Summary
Enjoyable activities in amusement parks can temporarily alleviate chronic low back pain. This study found reduced pain perception during park visits, suggesting psychological enjoyment impacts pain levels.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pain Management
- Health & Wellness
Background:
- Nonspecific low back pain is influenced by emotions and stress.
- Chronic mild low back pain affects a significant portion of the population.
- Understanding factors that modulate pain perception is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a physically and psychologically enjoyable environment on low back pain perception.
- To assess changes in low back pain levels experienced by individuals with chronic mild low back pain while visiting an amusement park.
Main Methods:
- 23 adult volunteers (18-46 years) with chronic low back pain participated.
- Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and salivary amylase levels were measured at five time points.
- Measurements were taken before, during, and after an amusement park visit, including during specific rides.
Main Results:
- VAS scores for low back pain were significantly lower (P < 0.05) when subjects were inside the amusement park compared to outside.
- No statistically significant differences were observed in salivary amylase levels across the measured time points.
- These findings suggest a direct correlation between the enjoyable environment and pain reduction.
Conclusions:
- Amusement park visits temporarily alleviated low back pain in individuals with chronic mild cases.
- Enjoyable activities can serve as a non-pharmacological intervention for pain management.
- Psychological and physical enjoyment demonstrably influences pain perception.
