Health behaviors are modifiable and associated with pain intensity, physical function, morbidity, and mortality in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. We have investigated the relationships between behavioral factors and four different measures of allostatic load representing individual health status: telomere length, brain structure, a clinical stress system composite, and structural brain age. Combining across studies, our findings are highly consistent and align with the allostatic load theory and the hormesis inverted U response. Importantly, although risk and buffering factors help to reduce the inter-individual variability in chronic MSK pain, it is quite clear from the plethora of research that these factors do not completely explain the clinical heterogeneity in individuals with chronic MSK pain. The missing component to the story is Dispositional Traits…
Associated Publications:
Resilience, Pain, and the Brain: Relationships Differ by Sociodemographics. Access to full article on PubMed.
Resilience Factors May Buffer Cellular Aging in Individuals With and Without Chronic Knee Pain. Access to full article on PubMed.
Omega-6: Omega-3 PUFA Ratio, Pain, Functioning, and Distress in Adults With Knee Pain. Access to full article on PubMed.
Associations Between Vitamin D, Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio, and Biomarkers of Aging in Individuals Living With and Without Chronic Pain. Access to full article on PubMed.