Does Mindfulness Correlate With Physical Function and Pain Intensity in Patients With Upper Extremity Illness?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Psychology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Mindfulness interventions show promise for chronic pain management.
• The link between mindfulness and upper extremity complaints is understudied.
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for orthopedic patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between mindfulness and physical function.
• To examine the relationship between mindfulness and pain intensity in upper extremity conditions.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 126 patients with non-traumatic upper extremity conditions.
• Utilized questionnaires for mindfulness facets, pain intensity, and physical function.
• Collected demographic and clinical variables prior to surgical consultation.

Main Results:

• Nonreactivity to experiences correlated with physical function and pain intensity (bivariate analysis).
• Overall mindfulness correlated only with pain intensity (bivariate analysis).
• Pain interference emerged as the strongest predictor for both pain intensity and physical function in multivariable analyses.

Conclusions:

• While mindfulness shows some bivariate associations, pain interference is the primary driver of pain and function in upper extremity conditions.
• Psychosocial interventions should target pain interference reduction.
• Mindfulness skills training may serve as a secondary therapeutic approach.