Pain, pain intensity and pain disability in high school students are differently associated with physical activity, screening hours and sleep

Background: Studies exploring the association between physical activity, screen time and sleep and pain usually focus on a limited number of painful body sites. Nevertheless, pain at different body sites is likely to be of different nature. Therefore, this study aims to explore and compare the association between time spent in self-reported physical activity, in screen based activities and sleeping and i) pain presence in the last 7-days for 9 different body sites; ii) pain intensity at 9 different body sites and iii) global disability. Methods: Nine hundred sixty nine students completed a questionnaire on pain, time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity, screen based time watching TV/DVD, playing, using mobile phones and computers and sleeping hours. Univariate and multivariate associations between pain presence, pain intensity and disability and physical activity, screen based time and sleeping hours were investigated. Results: Pain presence: sleeping remained in the multivariable model for the neck, mid back, wrists, knees and ankles/feet (OR 1.17 to 2.11); moderate physical activity remained in the multivariate model for the neck, shoulders, wrists, hips and ankles/feet (OR 1.06 to 1.08); vigorous physical activity remained in the multivariate model for mid back, knees and ankles/feet (OR 1.05 to 1.09) and screen time remained in the multivariate model for the low back (OR = 2.34. Pain intensity: screen time and moderate physical activity remained in the multivariable model for pain intensity at the neck, mid back, low back, shoulder, knees and ankles/feet (Rp2 0.02 to 0.04) and at the wrists (Rp2 = 0.04), respectively. Disability showed no association with sleeping, screen time or physical activity. Conclusions: This study suggests both similarities and differences in the patterns of association between time spent in physical activity, sleeping and in screen based activities and pain presence at 8 different body sites. In addition, they also suggest that the factors associated with the presence of pain, pain intensity and pain associated disability are different

Characterizing Fatigue Subtypes in Adolescents with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Pain-Free Controls

Ian Boggero,1,2 Cecelia Valrie,3,4 Krystal Morgan,5 Nao Hagiwara,3 Susmita Kashikar-Zuck,2,6 Christopher King2,6 1Department of Oral Health Science, Division of Orofacial Pain, University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, Lexington, KY, USA; 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 3Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; 4Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; 5Division of Transplant, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 6Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USACorrespondence: Ian Boggero, 740 S Limestone, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA, Tel +859-562-3291, Email [email protected]: General fatigue, sleep-related fatigue, and cognitive fatigue are prevalent and disruptive in adults with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, but little is known about these fatigue subtypes in pediatric musculoskeletal pain.Objective: To compare fatigue and its subtypes between adolescents with chronic MSK pain and pain-free controls and to test if fatigue subtypes were associated with concurrent pain and its impact (pain intensity, number of pain sites, pain interference, and functional disability) or experimental pain (intensity and tolerance) in adolescents with chronic MSK pain. Finally, we sought to explore adolescents’ qualitative characterizations of their fatigue.Methods: Adolescents with chronic MSK pain (12– 17 y.o., n = 26) and pain-free controls (n = 26) completed validated self-report measures of fatigue, pain, and functional disability, underwent an experimental pain tolerance task (cold water immersion of the hand), and provided qualitative descriptions of their fatigue (pain group only).Results: Adolescents with chronic MSK pain reported significantly greater general, sleep-related, and cognitive fatigue than pain-free controls (all p’s 0.05). Adolescents with chronic MSK pain qualitatively described the negative implications of the different fatigue subtypes, particularly when perceived as long-lasting.Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that fatigue subtypes are prevalent and impactful in pediatric patients with chronic MSK pain. When planning multi-disciplinary treatment for pediatric MSK pain, providers should recognize fatigue as another disabling symptom.Keywords: disability, fatigue, pediatric, musculoskeletal pain, widespread bodily pai

Girls Tech Camp

Motivated by a desire to encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies, librarians at the Marston Science Library (Marston) at the University of Florida (UF) developed Girls Tech Camp (GTC), a summer camp designed to introduce middle-school girls to creative technologies used in these fields. This week-long summer day camp launched in 2016, and continued in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Each year, the camp brought twenty-two 6th-8th grade girls into an academic science library to build experience with emerging technologies and increase interest in pursuing further studies or a career in STEM. The camp introduced the girls to a range of technology including 3D modelling, 3D printing, augmented reality, Arduino microcontrollers, light sensors, digital video production, computer coding, and conductive crafts. Through hands-on activities, guest lectures, and campus field trips youth interest and confidence in using technology expanded and participants experienced student and research life at a university.</jats:p