Body awareness in persons diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis

The effect of anthropometric measurements and muscle endurance of the trunk and lower extremities on anatomic body awareness in healthy individuals with different levels of physical activity

BACKGROUND

The interaction between anthropometric measurements and muscular endurance and how these factors manifest in anatomical body awareness have not yet been fully investigated. It was aimed to examine the relationship between physical activity, body anthropometric measurements and endurance and anatomical body awareness in healthy individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 217 individuals aged 19-40 participated in the study. Participants were categorized into inactive (n = 65), minimally active (n = 80), and sufficiently active (n = 72) groups based on the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). Anthropometric measurements including shoulder, abdomen, waist, and hip circumferences were taken. Participants' trunk muscle endurance and lower extremity endurance was assessed through various tests. Anatomic body awareness was evaluated using the Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) with established validity.

RESULTS

While no significant difference in shoulder circumference measurements was found between the inactive and minimally active groups (p > 0.05), the sufficiently active group showed significantly higher shoulder circumference measurements compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed among all endurance tests between the groups (p < 0.05). Participants' body endurance increased significantly with higher activity levels. Moreover, anatomic body awareness exhibited significant variation among the three groups (p < 0.05), with the sufficiently active group having the highest level of anatomic body awareness. Positive correlations were found between all endurance tests and anatomic body awareness (p < 0.05), as well as a positive correlation between physical activity levels and anatomic body awareness (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that physical performance and endurance increase anatomical body awareness when applied with appropriate treatment methods, can be applied for a healthier life and can be an additional application in the clinical environment.

Investigation of body awareness and body image perception in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the study is to investigate body awareness and body image perception of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to explore the association between clinical parameters and body awareness.

METHODS

A total of 92 participants with T2DM (38 women and 54 men) aged 36-76 years were recruited. Biochemical measurements, including fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), were obtained from the patients' blood sample records. The Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ), Body Cathexis Scale (BCS) and Awareness Body Chart (ABC) were filled in by all subjects.

RESULTS

Most participants had an above-average BAQ (81.5%) and BCS (87%) score. There was a significant correlation between body mass index and ABC pain subscale. HbA1c was significantly associated with the duration of diabetes and sleep-wake cycle, process domains and total BAQ score. The body awareness score for the lower leg and foot regions (ABC parts) was negatively correlated with fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels, while body awareness in the foot region was negatively correlated with the duration of diabetes. There was no association between BCS and any clinical parameters.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that body awareness is associated with diabetes-related clinical parameters, such as fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels, and duration of diabetes in patients with T2DM. Following diabetes progression and an increase in blood glucose levels, body awareness tended to decrease, particularly in the lower leg and foot regions. These findings highlighted the importance of evaluating body awareness in patients with T2DM.

The Lived Experiences of Iranian Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Qualitative Research

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects various systems of the body. The present study was conducted with the aim to explain the lived experiences of Iranian patients with RA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

According to the research question, the phenomenological research approach was used. The participants were selected through purposive sampling, and sampling was continued until data saturation was achieved. The data was collected by conducting unstructured interviews and using an audio recorder. To interpret the data, an interpretive/hermeneutic approach was implemented using Van Manen's method. In addition, Lincoln and Guba's criteria were used to evaluate data robustness.

RESULTS

A total of 24 participants participated in the study. Overall, 145 basic concept codes were extracted which were classified into the four main themes of self-management with the participation of the family, spiritual resilience in the face of existing problems, the tendency to hide the disease, and the fear of an uncertain future.

CONCLUSIONS

It is recommended that care providers use the findings of this study to develop care plans in the various aspects of the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of patients with RA based on their concerns and deep experiences. It is also suggested that other qualitative research approach methodologies such as grounded theory for explaining the process of patient care and providing an appropriate model, or action research for solving the problems of hospitalized patients through suitable care at home be implemented.

Relationships between anthropometric measurements, muscle strength and body awareness

Most studies on body awareness offer data on assessment and treatment in disease situations. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between anthropometric measurements and body awareness level of healthy people. The study was carried out with 289 volunteer students between the ages of 18-25 who studied at university. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, circumference measurements and measurement rates, skinfold thicknesses. In addition, grip strength and lower limb muscle strength was evaluated. The level of body awareness was evaluated by the Body Awareness Questionnaire. The mean age of the participants included in the study was 19.34 ± 1.48. Sixty five percent were female and 35% were male. A negative correlation was found between body weight and body awareness level (p = 0.02). According to the results of canonical correlation analysis, the model created with circumference measurement rates and sub-dimensions of the Body Awareness Questionnaire was found significant. There was significantly correlated between the changes in the body process and attention to responses, which are sub-dimension, and total right measurement of the lower limb (r:0.124; p: 0.035). In addition, there was a significant relationship between sleep-wakefulness cycle and waist-to-thigh ratios (r:- 0.172; p: 0.003). Our study showed that body awareness is directly related to body weight, lower limb circumference measurements, and waist-to-thigh ratio. These data revealed the effect of body awareness on anatomical structures.

Transitioning from hurting to healing: self-management after distal radius fracture

PURPOSE

Chronic pain and disability after musculoskeletal trauma support the need for non-biomedical perspectives to frame experiences of recovery. Self-management is a specific holistic lens with implications for improving health outcomes. This qualitative study explored how adults made meaning of self-management after distal radius fracture (DRF).

METHODS

Thirty-one individuals aged 45-72 with a unilateral DRF participated in a semi-structured interview 2-4 weeks after discontinuing full-time wrist immobilization. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and constructivist grounded theory techniques were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Participants made meaning of self-management as a process of "transitioning from hurting to healing," which occurred via three underlying processes. "Learning because of my injury" included gaining information for empowerment and understanding by physically living through the experience. "Working and hoping toward healing" involved taking active steps to recovery in the face of uncertainty. "Getting back to my normal self" comprised reconnecting to one's body and identity after injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants' lived experiences overlapped with those of self-managing chronic conditions, highlighting the need to consider how individuals actively engage in their recovery after DRF. Findings suggest using supportive interventions to facilitate patients' understanding, activation, and engagement in meaningful activity after DRF.Implication for rehabilitationTo maximize health outcomes after distal radius fracture, clinicians should move beyond impairment remediation to supporting multiple dimensions of recovery, including emotional distress and functional limitations.Clinicians should routinely provide early and ongoing information, such as expected symptoms and recovery time frames, to minimize loss of control related to uncertainty.Clinicians should emphasize active interventions, such as collaborative goal setting and functional tasks, that engage patients in their own healing.Clinicians should support patients' early return to meaningful activity to maintain or restore connection to the body and identity.

The Meaning of Sedentary Behavior as Experienced by People in the Transition From Working Life to Retirement: An Empirical Phenomenological Study

OBJECTIVE

Sedentary behavior (SB) is defined as a mean of >6 hours of daytime sitting or lying down. SB has been shown to increase with older age and is a risk factor for disease. During the transition from working life to retirement, changes in daily life activities occur, risking increased SB. The aim of the present study was to gain a deeper understanding of SB in relation to the transition from working life to retirement as experienced by persons in retirement.

METHODS

The study was grounded in a phenomenological life-world perspective. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 64 to 75 years. Data were analyzed using the empirical phenomenological psychological method.

RESULTS

The participants described that voluntary sedentary time was positively related to general health and well-being, whereas involuntary sedentary time was negatively related to health. Increased sedentary time was described as natural when aging. Retirement was expressed as a time for rest after hard work and the ability to choose a slower pace in life. Internal and external demands and daily routines interrupted SB, whereas loneliness was perceived to increase SB. Participants strived to find a balance between physical activity and sedentary time. The variations in the participants' descriptions formed 3 typologies: in light of meaningful SB, in the shadow of involuntary SB, and a dual process-postponing SB with physical activity.

CONCLUSION

Increased SB was perceived as natural when aging but something that may be postponed by conscious choices. SB was perceived as associated with health, rest, and recovery but also with the risk of deteriorating health.

IMPACT

This knowledge of the experienced meaning of SB could guide the design of health promotion interventions and may be helpful in targeting those in need of support and individualizing interventions to decrease SB in retirement.

LAY SUMMARY

This study reveals how persons in retirement describe sedentary behavior as something healthy but also as unhealthy and that sedentary behavior is natural in aging and can be postponed by physical activity.

"Not Thinking that This Means the End When You Are Seriously Ill but Doing Something Positive about It"-A Qualitative Study of Living with a Life-Changing Disease

Background: Chronic diseases have an impact on and can change the lives of the persons affected by them. This study examines how a disease can influence patients’ daily lives, the strategies they adopt to cope, and their experiences of support. The study focuses on four chronic diseases: asthma-allergy, cancer, diabetes mellitus, and inflammatory rheumatic arthritis. Methods: The study has a qualitative design and includes 41 transcribed in-depth interviews and a content analysis. Results: The participants’ new life situation was changed for a very long time or forever, and this was not a voluntary choice. The new life situation comprised the following themes: life-changing—the disease could be a turning point in a negative or positive way, strategies—designed to create ways of coping with daily tasks to find a good quality of life, and support—that could be obtained from the participants’ private network or the healthcare professionals. Conclusions: The patients had to make changes in their daily life, and these could bring about different feelings and restrict activity. Healthcare professionals need more knowledge of the process of coping with such life-changing matters and what could strengthen patients and give a sense of empowerment in their lives.

The Mindful Body: A Phenomenology of the Body With Multiple Sclerosis

For people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), one's own body may no longer be taken for granted but may become instead an insistent presence. In this article, we describe how the body experience of people with MS can reflect an ongoing oscillation between four experiential dimensions: bodily uncertainty, having a precious body, being a different body, and the mindful body. People with MS can become engaged in a mode of permanent bodily alertness and may demonstrate adaptive responses to their ill body. In contrast to many studies on health and illness, our study shows that the presence of the body may not necessarily result in alienation or discomfort. By focusing the attention on the body, a sense of well-being can be cultivated and the negative effects of MS only temporarily dominate experience. Rather than aiming at bodily dis-appearance, health care professionals should therefore consider ways to support bodily eu-appearance.

"A body in transformation"-An empirical phenomenological study about fear-avoidance beliefs towards physical activity among persons experiencing moderate-to-severe rheumatic pain

Aims and objectives

To gain a better understanding of fear‐avoidance beliefs towards physical activity and body awareness in people experiencing moderate‐to‐severe rheumatic pain.

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are long‐term conditions with pain as the prominent symptom. Health‐promoting physical activity is recommended and can have an analgesic effect. High self‐rated pain has previously been reported to be associated with increased fear‐avoidance behaviour in relation to physical activity. Body awareness, which includes attentional focus and awareness of internal body sensations, could be valuable in the nursing care of long‐term diseases.

Design

Empirical phenomenological.

Methods

An empirical phenomenological psychological method was applied. The interviews took place between autumn 2016–spring 2017 with 11 informants (eight women and three men, age range 44–71 years) who were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 7) or psoriatic arthritis (n = 4), with a disease duration ranging from 3–35 years. The mean visual analogue scale score in the study sample was 60 mm.

Results

Three typologies were identified: “My relatively fragile physical status”, “I am an active creator” and “Part of something bigger than myself.”

Conclusions

The current findings indicated that pain anticipation and fear‐avoidance beliefs towards physical activity sometimes affected the behaviour of individuals with long‐term rheumatic pain syndromes. People experiencing moderate‐to‐severe rheumatic pain tended to focus on their fragile physical and emotional state. By adopting a more favourable attitude towards the self, the body could be restored to a state of calm and balance.

Relevance to clinical practice

The current findings are relevant for healthcare professionals engaged in health‐promotion clinical practice.

A constant conversation: tuning into and harmonizing the needs and priorities of the body and mind

Purpose: Individuals rely upon many types of information to manage an illness, including information provided by their own bodies. This study investigated how people tune into and manage the flow of information from their bodies to manage their health. Method: We developed a platform for participants to share and collaboratively reflect on how they engaged in this dialogic process, in which participants contributed to a discussion on topics relating to body listening and body awareness. Though the study was open to anyone interested in or wanting to contribute to knowledge on “body listening,” the social media recruitment focused on chronic conditions requiring self-care and having overlapping symptomatology, with chronic pain as the primary characteristic. A qualitative analysis method based on grounded theory was used to analyse the data. Results: Six main themes emerged: learning the language, recognizing and heeding limits, experiencing emotional fatigue and despair, regulating the channel, moving from conflict to communication, and settling into an uneasy acceptance. Conclusion: The monitoring and filtering of information from one’s body, and the appeasement of conflicting demands and voices, is difficult work. Knowledge of this process can be used in patient education and in the development of tools to support body listening.

It's not just a knee, but a whole life: A qualitative descriptive study on patients' experiences of living with knee osteoarthritis and their expectations for knee arthroplasty

AIM

Knee arthroplasties are an increasingly common treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) and the main indication is pain. Previous research states, however, that 15-20% of the operated patients are dissatisfied and 20-30% have persistent pain after surgery. This study is aimed at describing patients' experiences of living with knee OA when scheduled for surgery and further their expectations for future life after surgery.

METHODS

We interviewed 12 patients with knee OA scheduled for arthroplasty, using semi-structured qualitative interviews. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Three categories were formulated with an overriding theme: "It's not just a knee, but a whole life." The three categories were "Change from their earlier lives," "Coping with knee problems," and "Ultimate decision to undergo surgery." The main finding was that knee OA affects the whole body and self, ultimately affecting the patients' lives on many levels. Further findings were that knee OA was considered to be the central focus in the participants' lives, which limited their level of activity, their ability to function as desired, their quality of life, and their mental well-being. Although surgery was considered to be the only solution, the expectations regarding the outcome differed.

CONCLUSIONS

The participants were forced to change how they previously had lived their lives resulting in a feeling of loss. Thus, the experienced loss and expectations for future life must be put into the context of the individual's own personality and be taken into account when treating individuals with knee OA. The experience of living with knee OA largely varies between individuals. This mandates that patients' assessment should be considered on individual basis with regard to each patient.