The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes
Background and objectives: Chronic pain (CP), affecting approximately 20 % of adults globally, imposes a profound burden on individuals and healthcare systems. This condition, characterized by persistent pain, muscle stiffness, and emotional distress, often results in a complex interplay of physical...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402500297X |
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| author | Andrea Calderone Vincenza Maura Mazzurco Masi Rosaria De Luca Antonio Gangemi Mirjam Bonanno Daniela Floridia Francesco Corallo Giovanni Morone Angelo Quartarone Maria Grazia Maggio Rocco Salvatore Calabrò |
| author_facet | Andrea Calderone Vincenza Maura Mazzurco Masi Rosaria De Luca Antonio Gangemi Mirjam Bonanno Daniela Floridia Francesco Corallo Giovanni Morone Angelo Quartarone Maria Grazia Maggio Rocco Salvatore Calabrò |
| author_sort | Andrea Calderone |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and objectives: Chronic pain (CP), affecting approximately 20 % of adults globally, imposes a profound burden on individuals and healthcare systems. This condition, characterized by persistent pain, muscle stiffness, and emotional distress, often results in a complex interplay of physical and psychological factors that exacerbate symptoms and hinder recovery. Biofeedback (BFB), a non-invasive intervention, offers a promising rehabilitation strategy by enabling individuals to monitor and self-regulate physiological responses, such as muscle tension, heart rate, and skin temperature. Through this process, BFB disrupts the vicious cycle of pain and stress, fostering relaxation, reducing muscle strain, and alleviating emotional distress. This systematic review aimed to examine the mechanisms underlying BFB's therapeutic effects in CP rehabilitation, specifically its ability to enhance self-regulation and promote relaxation to improve pain control. Furthermore, it aimed to evaluate the impact of BFB on key outcomes, including pain severity, functional capabilities, and quality of life, with the goal of guiding its integration into contemporary rehabilitation practices. Materials and Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase (2014–2024) to identify studies on BFB for CP. Inclusion criteria included original research involving BFB as a primary or secondary intervention for CP, with outcomes related to pain management and rehabilitation. This review is registered on Open OSF (X5HPB). Results: BFB has shown consistent efficacy as a complementary therapy in CP management, offering significant reductions in pain intensity and enhancements in quality of life across diverse CP conditions. Mechanistically, BFB facilitates improved self-regulation by training patients to modulate physiological responses, such as muscle tension and heart rate variability, leading to better pain control and stress reduction. Conclusions: BFB shows significant promise as a supplementary treatment for different CP disorders. The evidence that was examined shows that it is effective in improving how pain is perceived, increasing functional results, and boosting overall quality of life among a variety of patient groups. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-01b7e2cf0f984e768e966f29841ee824 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj-art-01b7e2cf0f984e768e966f29841ee8242025-02-02T05:28:33ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-01-01112e41917The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomesAndrea Calderone0Vincenza Maura Mazzurco Masi1Rosaria De Luca2Antonio Gangemi3Mirjam Bonanno4Daniela Floridia5Francesco Corallo6Giovanni Morone7Angelo Quartarone8Maria Grazia Maggio9Rocco Salvatore Calabrò10Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Piazza Pugliatti, 1, 98122, Messina, ItalyUniversità Degli Studi di Palermo, Piazza Marina, 61, 90133, Palermo, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy; San Raffaele Institute of Sulmona, 67039, Sulmona, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyIRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy; Corresponding author. IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo” S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124, Messina, ItalyBackground and objectives: Chronic pain (CP), affecting approximately 20 % of adults globally, imposes a profound burden on individuals and healthcare systems. This condition, characterized by persistent pain, muscle stiffness, and emotional distress, often results in a complex interplay of physical and psychological factors that exacerbate symptoms and hinder recovery. Biofeedback (BFB), a non-invasive intervention, offers a promising rehabilitation strategy by enabling individuals to monitor and self-regulate physiological responses, such as muscle tension, heart rate, and skin temperature. Through this process, BFB disrupts the vicious cycle of pain and stress, fostering relaxation, reducing muscle strain, and alleviating emotional distress. This systematic review aimed to examine the mechanisms underlying BFB's therapeutic effects in CP rehabilitation, specifically its ability to enhance self-regulation and promote relaxation to improve pain control. Furthermore, it aimed to evaluate the impact of BFB on key outcomes, including pain severity, functional capabilities, and quality of life, with the goal of guiding its integration into contemporary rehabilitation practices. Materials and Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase (2014–2024) to identify studies on BFB for CP. Inclusion criteria included original research involving BFB as a primary or secondary intervention for CP, with outcomes related to pain management and rehabilitation. This review is registered on Open OSF (X5HPB). Results: BFB has shown consistent efficacy as a complementary therapy in CP management, offering significant reductions in pain intensity and enhancements in quality of life across diverse CP conditions. Mechanistically, BFB facilitates improved self-regulation by training patients to modulate physiological responses, such as muscle tension and heart rate variability, leading to better pain control and stress reduction. Conclusions: BFB shows significant promise as a supplementary treatment for different CP disorders. The evidence that was examined shows that it is effective in improving how pain is perceived, increasing functional results, and boosting overall quality of life among a variety of patient groups.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402500297XBiofeedbackChronic painNeurorehabilitationPain managementTherapeutic interventionsPatient outcomes |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Calderone Vincenza Maura Mazzurco Masi Rosaria De Luca Antonio Gangemi Mirjam Bonanno Daniela Floridia Francesco Corallo Giovanni Morone Angelo Quartarone Maria Grazia Maggio Rocco Salvatore Calabrò The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes Heliyon Biofeedback Chronic pain Neurorehabilitation Pain management Therapeutic interventions Patient outcomes |
| title | The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes |
| title_full | The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes |
| title_fullStr | The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes |
| title_short | The impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation: A systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes |
| title_sort | impact of biofeedback in enhancing chronic pain rehabilitation a systematic review of mechanisms and outcomes |
| topic | Biofeedback Chronic pain Neurorehabilitation Pain management Therapeutic interventions Patient outcomes |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402500297X |
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