A Systematic Review of Mindfulness Practices for Improving Outcomes in Chronic Low Back Pain.
Stefanie L Smith, Wendy Hoon Langen
International Journal of Yoga 2020 DOI: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_4_20 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with chronic low back pain syndromes |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Back pain Chronic pain Mindfulness-based stress reduction Yoga |
| Key findings | The authors conclude that MBSR interventions produce significant improvements in chronic pain patients for pain measures, quality of life, and mental health, with subjective pain scores and quality of life improving relative to control groups in most of the 12 reviewed studies. They caution that varied pain measurement instruments, small sample sizes, and inability to blind participants limit the evidence. |
Abstract
Chronic pain is a serious public health problem that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques offer an accessible treatment modality for chronic pain patients that may complement or replace pharmacological treatment. This article reviews the literature on the efficacy of MBSR training in patients with back chronic pain syndromes for the outcomes of pain measures, quality of life (QOL), mental health, and mindfulness. A systemized search was conducted in September of 2018 for studies published between 2008 and 2018 on mindfulness and chronic low back pain. Out of 50 articles on mindfulness and chronic pain, 12 empirical studies were selected for the inclusion in this review. Subjective pain scores and QOL improved for chronic pain patients after mindfulness interventions, compared to control groups, in most of the studies reviewed. Limitations of the studies reviewed included the varied pain measurement instruments, the small sample sizes, and the inability to blind participants to MBSR intervention. MBSR interventions show significant improvements in chronic pain patients for pain measures, QOL, and mental health.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Mindfulness-based Interventions for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clinical Journal of Pain February 1, 2024
- Mechanism of Action of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Pain Relief-A Systematic Review. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine December 1, 2024
- The Mindful Reappraisal of Pain Scale (MRPS): Validation of a New Measure of Psychological Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Analgesia. Mindfulness 2023
- Meditation: A Promising Approach for Alleviating Chronic Pain. Cureus November 22, 2023
- Designing voice interfaces to support mindfulness-based pain management. Digital health 2023
and 7 more in the library
Cites 10
- Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 1, 2016
- Experiencing Wellness Within Illness Qualitative Health Research April 11, 2014
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Study Investigating the Impact on Endocrine, Physical, and Psychologic Functioning. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 2017
- Effects of Eight-Week-Web-Based Mindfulness Training on Pain Intensity, Pain Acceptance, and Life Satisfaction in Individuals With Chronic Pain Psychological Reports December 1, 2016
- A Mind-Body Program for Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine March 1, 2016
and 5 more in the library