title: A pilot study of the effectiveness of guided imagery with progressive muscle relaxation to reduce chronic pain and mobility difficulties of osteoarthritis.
abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, chronic condition that affects most older adults. Adults with OA must deal with pain that leads to limited mobility and may lead to disability and difficulty maintaining independence. A longitudinal, randomized clinical trial pilot study was conducted to determine whether Guided Imagery (GI) with Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) would reduce pain and mobility difficulties of women with OA. Twenty-eight older women with OA were randomly assigned to either the treatment or the control group. The treatment consisted of listening twice a day to a 10-to-15-minute audiotaped script that guided the women in GI with PMR. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference between the two groups in the amount of change in pain and mobility difficulties they experienced over 12 weeks. The treatment group reported a significant reduction in pain and mobility difficulties at week 12 compared to the control group. Members of the control group reported no differences in pain and non-significant increases in mobility difficulties. The results of this pilot study justify further investigation of the effectiveness of GI with PMR as a self-management intervention to reduce pain and mobility difficulties associated with OA.
authors.affiliation: Purdue University School of Nursing, West Lafayette, IN, USA. clbaird@nursing.purdue.edu
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sands
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000628:therapy*; D059408:Pain Management; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D016138:Walking