Meeting physical activity recommendations: Self-regulatory efficacy characterizes differential adherence during arthritis flares.

Abstract

During flares, individuals with greater self-regulatory efficacy to manage disease barriers and plan their physical activity were more adherent to disease-specific public health activity recommendations. This study was the first to demonstrate differences in social cognitions that characterize adherence to recommended activity among people challenged by arthritis flares. Findings support the theoretical position that self-regulatory efficacy is related to better adherence in the face of challenging disease-related circumstances. The importance of studying individual characteristics of people who succeed in being active despite such obstacles is stressed.

Pain, Anxiety, and Negative Outcome Expectations for Activity: Do Negative Psychological Profiles Differ Between the Inactive and Active?

“…However, given the study design, cause and effect could not be determined. The additional finding that the high and moderate active groups did not differ in perceived pain intensity parallels findings from previous research (7)(8)(9). Taken together, results provide support for the suggestion from the larger chronic pain literature that psychological reactions to pain, rather than pain itself, may be related to behavioral performance (20 -22).…”

“…Findings illustrated that pain was no worse on physically active compared to physically inactive days. Other research has shown that individuals reporting Ն150 minutes of planned, self-regulated activity did not significantly differ in their perceived arthritis pain intensity, on both usual days and days when they had an arthritis flare (7)(8)(9). One possibility for these findings is drawn from the larger chronic pain literature.…”

“…A psychological factor thought to be a potential moderator of perceived pain is pain acceptance, which involves a willingness to engage in valued activities despite pain (15). Research has demonstrated that individuals who engaged in planned activity at the recommended level had significantly greater arthritis pain acceptance than individuals engaged in lesser amounts of planned activity (7)(8)(9).…”

“…Quantitative research has demonstrated that highly active adults with arthritis reported significantly higher self-regulatory confidence to overcome disease barriers to planned activity (e.g., joint stiffness, swelling), as well as the confidence to regularly schedule and plan the activity compared to their less active counterparts (7)(8)(9). Given the frequent reporting of arthritis pain as a barrier to physical activity (10 -13), studies have examined perceived pain intensity as a covariate with the preconceived notion that pain differentiated individuals who were active at different levels.…”

“…These categorizations allowed for between-group comparisons of previously unexplored psychological factors. Only differences between active groups or between inactive and active at any level groups were examined in prior research, with activity levels being based upon the error-prone recall of incidental physical activity (e.g., 10 minutes) (9,16). Further, prior research had not examined the range of individuals undertaken in this study (highly active through to the inactive).…”