Mobile Health and Gamification of Chronic Pain Management: A Narrative Review

The current literature on gamifying mobile health (mHealth) applications to address chronic pain management is evaluated in this narrative review. These approaches include utilizing wearable devices to track progress of various biomarkers, collecting digital rewards for utilizing in-app self-management educational tools, completing challenges to encourage the use of mental health resources, and leaderboards to promote shared learning and overcome social withdrawal.

There continues to be a growing emphasis on the collaboration between patients with chronic pain and physicians to form comprehensive management strategies to address patients' unique pharmacological, physical, and psychosocial needs. Despite the accessibility of mHealth apps, they usually fail to integrate easily into a patient's lifestyle. Moreover, there is promise for enhanced psychosocial support through mHealth apps. A small fraction of chronic pain mHealth apps have utilized principles of gamification to motivate patients to adhere to care plans. Evidence suggests that incorporating game-like elements in future mHealth app designs must be prioritized to improve user engagement and subsequently facilitate positive health behaviors and outcomes for more effective pain control.