Physical function among older adults with knee pain: The role of pain coping skills

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between pain coping skills and disability among older adults with knee pain. METHODS: Baseline measures from 394 older adults with knee pain and disability who participated in a 30-month observational study were analyzed. Pain coping skills were correlated with self-reported disability and walking distance after controlling for covariates of disability. RESULTS: Pain coping skills were significantly associated with disability (P < 0.05) and distance walked (P < 0.05). Less catastrophic thinking and prayer, greater ignoring and reinterpretation of pain sensations, and stronger perceptions of pain control were associated with less disability and better physical function. CONCLUSION: Pain coping skills used by older adults with osteoarthritis and knee pain may play a significant role in determining disability.