The hidden impact of pain in Parkinson’s disease: exploring the role of pain interference in gait performance

Objective To investigate the relationship between clinical pain and functional mobility, especially gait performance, in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD).Method Pain was evaluated using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), while functional mobility was measured through the Timed Up and Go (TUG), Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) distance and Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ) total score.Results Thirty-four individuals with PD were assessed during the “ON” medication state. While reported pain intensity was low, pain interference was moderate and significantly correlated with reduced walking performance and greater freezing of gait severity (p < 0.05, ρ=0.37). Notably, higher pain interference, but not intensity, was associated with shorter 6MWT distances (p < 0.01, ρ=−0.48) and more frequent freezing episodes (p < 0.001, ρ=0.64). Another test, the TUG was not affected by pain.Conclusion Assessing pain interference, rather than pain intensity alone, is essential when addressing functional mobility in PD. Pain interference is significantly related to reduced gait performance and increased freezing, highlighting the importance of rehabilitation strategies that focus on minimizing disruptive impact of pain on movement.