What’s This Research About?
This review breaks down how exercise can help people dealing with musculoskeletal pain, from the way it impacts the body and mind to practical strategies for making movement more manageable. It dives into why exercise can both ease pain and sometimes make it feel worse, offering research-backed tips on how to structure workouts for those with chronic pain.
This is a narrative review, meaning it synthesizes existing literature rather than presenting new experimental data. The authors summarize research on exercise as an alternative intervention (not drugs) for pain and discuss relevant findings from clinical studies.
TITLE:Train in Pain: A Review of Exercise Benefits and Application for Individuals With Musculoskeletal Pain
PUBLICATION: Strength and Conditioning Journal
DATE: February 2025
AUTHORS: Wilson, Abigail T. PT, DPT, PhD; Lyons, Kaitlyn MS, EP-C, CSCS; Yapp-Shing, Christian BS, EP-C2; Hanney, William J. PT, DPT, PhD, ATC, CSCS, FNSCA
Acute vs Chronic Pain: Acute pain is short term, immediate and protective, signaling the body to heal. When pain persists beyond 3 months, it becomes chronic or persistent pain.
Biopsychosocial: A way of looking at health and pain that considers three key factors:
- Bio (Biological) – The physical body, including muscles, nerves, and injuries.
- Psycho (Psychological) – Thoughts, emotions, and mental health, like stress, anxiety, or fear of movement.
- Social – Life factors like work, relationships, and support systems that affect well-being.
Instead of just focusing on the body, the biopsychosocial approach recognizes that pain and health are influenced by a mix of physical, mental, and social factors.
Narrative Review: A discussion and synthesis of findings from previous research, clinical guidelines, and systematic reviews rather than conducting a new experimental study.
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