“I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences
Abstract Background Approximately 20% of total knee arthroplasty patients experience persistent postsurgical pain one year after surgery. No qualitative studies have explored previous stories of painful or stressful life experiences in patients experiencing persistent postsurgical pain after total k...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06423-9 |
| _version_ | 1797836659918635008 |
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| author | Vibeke Bull Sellevold Unni Olsen Maren Falch Lindberg Simen A. Steindal Arild Aamodt Anners Lerdal Alfhild Dihle |
| author_facet | Vibeke Bull Sellevold Unni Olsen Maren Falch Lindberg Simen A. Steindal Arild Aamodt Anners Lerdal Alfhild Dihle |
| author_sort | Vibeke Bull Sellevold |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Approximately 20% of total knee arthroplasty patients experience persistent postsurgical pain one year after surgery. No qualitative studies have explored previous stories of painful or stressful life experiences in patients experiencing persistent postsurgical pain after total knee replacement. This study aimed to explore stories of previous painful or stressful experiences in life in a cohort of patients that reported no improvement in pain one year after total knee arthroplasty. Methods The study employed an explorative-descriptive qualitative design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews five to seven years after surgery, with patients who reported no improvement in pain-related interference with walking 12 months after total knee replacement. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results The sample consisted of 13 women and 10 men with a median age of 67 years at the time of surgery. Prior to surgery, six reported having at least one chronic illness and 16 reported having two or more painful sites. Two main themes were identified in the data analysis: Painful years - the burden of living with long lasting pain, and the burden of living with psychological distress. Conclusions The participants had severe long lasting knee pain as well as long lasting pain in other locations, in addition to experiences of psychologically stressful life events before surgery. Health personnel needs to address the experience and perception of pain and psychological struggles, and how it influences patients’ everyday life including sleeping routines, work- and family life as well as to identify possible vulnerability for persistent postsurgical pain. Identifying and assessing the challenges enables personalized care and support, such as advice on pain management, cognitive support, guided rehabilitation, and coping strategies both pre-and post-surgery. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T15:13:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-105085d20d5043b496b80c8df1def7c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2474 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T15:13:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-105085d20d5043b496b80c8df1def7c62023-04-30T11:02:39ZengBMCBMC Musculoskeletal Disorders1471-24742023-04-0124111110.1186/s12891-023-06423-9“I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiencesVibeke Bull Sellevold0Unni Olsen1Maren Falch Lindberg2Simen A. Steindal3Arild Aamodt4Anners Lerdal5Alfhild Dihle6Lovisenberg Diaconal University CollegeDepartment of Public Health Science, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of OsloDepartment of Public Health Science, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of OsloLovisenberg Diaconal University CollegeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Lovisenberg Diaconal HospitalDepartment of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of OsloFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan UniversityAbstract Background Approximately 20% of total knee arthroplasty patients experience persistent postsurgical pain one year after surgery. No qualitative studies have explored previous stories of painful or stressful life experiences in patients experiencing persistent postsurgical pain after total knee replacement. This study aimed to explore stories of previous painful or stressful experiences in life in a cohort of patients that reported no improvement in pain one year after total knee arthroplasty. Methods The study employed an explorative-descriptive qualitative design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews five to seven years after surgery, with patients who reported no improvement in pain-related interference with walking 12 months after total knee replacement. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results The sample consisted of 13 women and 10 men with a median age of 67 years at the time of surgery. Prior to surgery, six reported having at least one chronic illness and 16 reported having two or more painful sites. Two main themes were identified in the data analysis: Painful years - the burden of living with long lasting pain, and the burden of living with psychological distress. Conclusions The participants had severe long lasting knee pain as well as long lasting pain in other locations, in addition to experiences of psychologically stressful life events before surgery. Health personnel needs to address the experience and perception of pain and psychological struggles, and how it influences patients’ everyday life including sleeping routines, work- and family life as well as to identify possible vulnerability for persistent postsurgical pain. Identifying and assessing the challenges enables personalized care and support, such as advice on pain management, cognitive support, guided rehabilitation, and coping strategies both pre-and post-surgery.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06423-9InterviewsPain storiesPersistent postsurgical painTotal knee arthroplastyQualitative research. |
| spellingShingle | Vibeke Bull Sellevold Unni Olsen Maren Falch Lindberg Simen A. Steindal Arild Aamodt Anners Lerdal Alfhild Dihle “I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Interviews Pain stories Persistent postsurgical pain Total knee arthroplasty Qualitative research. |
| title | “I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences |
| title_full | “I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences |
| title_fullStr | “I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | “I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences |
| title_short | “I am accustomed to something in my body causing pain”: a qualitative study of knee replacement non-improvers’ stories of previous painful and stressful experiences |
| title_sort | i am accustomed to something in my body causing pain a qualitative study of knee replacement non improvers stories of previous painful and stressful experiences |
| topic | Interviews Pain stories Persistent postsurgical pain Total knee arthroplasty Qualitative research. |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06423-9 |
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