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Studies in Teens Examine Ways to Reduce Abdominal Pain and the Effect of Pain on Exercise

By Kristin Della Volpe

Two studies on adolescents shed light on treatment for abdominal pain and how pain and attitudes toward exercise affect physical activity levels.

Abdominal pain in adolescents is common with a prevalence of 20% and may lead to increasing functional disability. An interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program developed to manage this condition markedly improved pain and function in teens, according to research led by Douglas Henry, MD, director, Department of Developmental and Rehabilitation Pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation in Cleveland, Ohio.1

Twenty-two adolescents with recurrent abdominal pain were treated in a 3-week combination inpatient/day hospital rehabilitation program. At baseline, mean pain scores were 7.25 on a 0-10 scale and patients missed an average of 4 school days per week. At both 2- and 3-year follow-up, mean pain scores were reduced to 3.0 and patients missed 0.13 school days per week at 2 years and missed no school days at 3 years.

In another study, researchers investigated why physical activity declines in adolescence by examining activity levels, pain levels, and attitudes about activity among 178 adolescents 11 to 14 years old. Approximately 28% were overweight or obese and 25% had pain at least once per week—mostly low to moderate pain in the leg, abdomen, head, and back. Multivariate analysis showed that more frequent pain and increased negative attitudes regarding exercise were significant predictors of low activity (P< 0.05 for both), after controlling for the effects of female gender and body mass index. Peak activity levels were lowest among those reporting back pain (13% of the group). Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions to increase activity, reduce pain, and improve health in this population, reported Anna C. Wilson, PhD, assistant professor of anesthesiology, Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, and colleagues.2

References

  1. Henry D, Wojtowicz A, Banez G, Frazier T, McDonald K, Buchannan K et al. Recurrent abdominal pain in adolescents: initial evaluation of an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. Pain. 2011. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2011.02.294.
  2. Wilson A, Lewandowski A, Palermo T. Pain experiences predict activity among healthy adolescents. Pain. 2011. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2011.02.060.