Impacto de una intervención basada en juegos sobre el dolor lumbar crónico considerando la interferencia de la kinesiofobia en adultos de mediana edad y mayores

Autores/as

  • Bárbara Henriques School of Health Sciences, IPL
  • Francisca Abreu
  • Letícia Jesus
  • Margarida Almeida
  • Cândida G. Silva
  • Marlene Rosa School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v72.117762

Palabras clave:

Dolor lumbar crónico, compromiso cognitivo, gamificación, intervención inmersiva, juegos serios, kinesiophobia

Resumen

Introducción: El dolor lumbar crónico (DLC) es una condición prevalente entre adultos de mediana edad y mayores, causando afectaciones físicas, psicológicas y sociales. Intervenciones innovadoras, como los programas de ejercicio gamificados, pueden mejorar la adherencia y el compromiso, a la vez que reducen el dolor.

Objetivo: Este estudio pre y post-experimental analizó el efecto de un juego analógico (gamificación del ejercicio físico) sobre el DLC y exploró cómo la kinesiophobia influye en el compromiso y los resultados del dolor en adultos de mediana edad y mayores.

Métodos: Veinticinco participantes (66,8 ± 13,5 años; 76% mujeres) completaron cuatro sesiones del Tree Game, un juego analógico estructurado basado en el suelo que combina desafíos físicos, cognitivos y sociales. La intensidad del dolor se midió con la Escala Numérica de Dolor (END) al inicio (T0), post-intervención (T1) y tras un período sin intervención (T2). El compromiso y la concentración se evaluaron mediante reflexiones abiertas después de cada sesión. La kinesiophobia basal se midió con la Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-13).

Resultados: La intensidad del dolor disminuyó significativamente de T0 a T1 (6,9 ± 2,9 vs. 3,4 ± 2,9, p < 0,001) y se mantuvo más baja en T2 (4,6 ± 2,5, p < 0,001). El compromiso evolucionó desde la ejecución de tareas hacia la concentración cognitiva y la interacción competitiva/social, reflejando una inmersión progresiva. No se encontró interacción significativa entre la kinesiophobia basal y los resultados sobre el dolor.

Conclusiones: El Tree Game redujo eficazmente la intensidad del dolor y promovió el compromiso cognitivo y social. Potenciar los elementos de juego y la inmersión puede aumentar la participación, respaldando las intervenciones físicas gamificadas como estrategia multifacética para el manejo del DLC en adultos mayores.

Referencias

Alfieri, F. M., da Silva Dias, C., de Oliveira, N. C., & Battistella, L. R. (2022). Gamification in Musculoskele-tal Rehabilitation. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 15(6), 629–636. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-022-09797-w

Alghadir, A., Anwer, S., Iqbal, A., & Iqbal, Z. (2018). Test–retest reliability, validity, and minimum detectable change of visual analog, numerical rating, and verbal rating scales for measurement of osteoarthritic knee pain. Journal of Pain Research, Volume 11, 851–856. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S158847

Antunes, F., Pereira, R. M., Afonso, V., & Tinoco, R. (2021). Prevalence and Characteristics of Chronic Pain Among Patients in Portuguese Primary Care Units. Pain and Therapy, 10(2), 1427–1437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40122-021-00308-2

Asefi Rad, A., & Wippert, P.-M. (2024). Insights into pain distraction and the impact of pain catastro-phizing on pain perception during different types of distraction tasks. Frontiers in Pain Research, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1266974

Azevedo, L. F., Costa-Pereira, A., Mendonça, L., Dias, C. C., & Castro-Lopes, J. M. (2012). Epidemiology of Chronic Pain: A Population-Based Nationwide Study on Its Prevalence, Characteristics and As-sociated Disability in Portugal. The Journal of Pain, 13(8), 773–783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2012.05.012

Azizoddin, D. R., DeForge, S. M., Edwards, R. R., Baltazar, A. R., Schreiber, K. L., Allsop, M., Banson, J., Oseuguera, G., Businelle, M., Tulsky, J. A., & Enzinger, A. C. (2024). Serious Games for Serious Pain: Development and Initial Testing of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Game for Patients With Advanced Cancer Pain. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 8. https://doi.org/10.1200/CCI.24.00111

Bordeleau, M., Vincenot, M., Lefevre, S., Duport, A., Seggio, L., Breton, T., Lelard, T., Serra, E., Roussel, N., Neves, J. F. Das, & Léonard, G. (2022). Treatments for kinesiophobia in people with chronic pain: A scoping review. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.933483

Brown, L., Chen, E. T., & Binder, D. S. (2020). The use of virtual reality for Peri-procedural pain and anx-iety at an outpatient spine clinic injection visit: an exploratory controlled randomized trial. American Journal of Translational Research, 12(9), 5818–5826.

Buchbinder, R., van Tulder, M., Öberg, B., Costa, L. M., Woolf, A., Schoene, M., Croft, P., Buchbinder, R., Hartvigsen, J., Cherkin, D., Foster, N. E., Maher, C. G., Underwood, M., van Tulder, M., Anema, J. R., Chou, R., Cohen, S. P., Menezes Costa, L., Croft, P., … Woolf, A. (2018). Low back pain: a call for action. The Lancet, 391(10137), 2384–2388. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30488-4

Burton, A. K., Balagué, F., Cardon, G., Eriksen, H. R., Henrotin, Y., Lahad, A., Leclerc, A., Müller, G., & van der Beek, A. J. (2006). Chapter 2 European guidelines for prevention in low back pain. European Spine Journal, 15(S2), s136–s168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-006-1070-3

Butera, K. A., Roff, S. R., Buford, T. W., & Cruz-Almeida, Y. (2019). The impact of multisite pain on func-tional outcomes in older adults: biopsychosocial considerations. Journal of Pain Research, Volume 12, 1115–1125. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S192755

Chang, H.-W., & Wu, G.-H. (2024). Feasibility and effect of cognitive-based board game and multi-component exercise interventions on older adults with dementia. Medicine, 103(26), e38640. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000038640

Clarke, C. L., & Witham, M. D. (2017). The Effects of Medication on Activity and Rehabilitation of Older People – Opportunities and Risks. Rehabilitation Process and Outcome, 6. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179572717711433

Deng, M., Sun, J., Fang, X., Zhang, G., Luo, Y., & Yao, G. (2025). The impact of chronic pain on functional capacity in middle-aged and older adults: The mediating role of family relationships. Geriatric Nursing, 63, 223–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2025.03.037

Di Iorio, A., Abate, M., Guralnik, J. M., Bandinelli, S., Cecchi, F., Cherubini, A., Corsonello, A., Foschini, N., Guglielmi, M., Lauretani, F., Volpato, S., Abate, G., & Ferrucci, L. (2007). From Chronic Low Back Pain to Disability, a Multifactorial Mediated Pathway. Spine, 32(26), E809–E815. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e31815cd422

Dworkin, R. H., Turk, D. C., Wyrwich, K. W., Beaton, D., Cleeland, C. S., Farrar, J. T., Haythornthwaite, J. A., Jensen, M. P., Kerns, R. D., Ader, D. N., Brandenburg, N., Burke, L. B., Cella, D., Chandler, J., Cowan, P., Dimitrova, R., Dionne, R., Hertz, S., Jadad, A. R., … Zavisic, S. (2008). Interpreting the Clinical Importance of Treatment Outcomes in Chronic Pain Clinical Trials: IMMPACT Recommenda-tions. The Journal of Pain, 9(2), 105–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2007.09.005

Farrar, J. T., Young, J. P., LaMoreaux, L., Werth, J. L., & Poole, M. R. (2001). Clinical importance of chang-es in chronic pain intensity measured on an 11-point numerical pain rating scale. Pain, 94(2), 149–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(01)00349-9

Garcia, L., Birckhead, B., Krishnamurthy, P., Mackey, I., Sackman, J., Salmasi, V., Louis, R., Castro, C., Maddox, R., Maddox, T., & Darnall, B. D. (2022). Durability of the Treatment Effects of an 8-Week Self-administered Home-Based Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Low Back Pain: 6-Month Follow-up Study of a Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(5), e37480. https://doi.org/10.2196/37480

Geneen, L. J., Moore, R. A., Clarke, C., Martin, D., Colvin, L. A., & Smith, B. H. (2017). Physical activity and exercise for chronic pain in adults: an overview of Cochrane Reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011279.pub3

Guralnik, J. M., Balfour, J. L., & Volpato, S. (2000). The ratio of older women to men: Historical perspec-tives and cross-national comparisons. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 12(2), 65–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339893

Gutiérrez-Pérez, B.-M., Martín-García, A.-V., Murciano-Hueso, A., & de Oliveira Cardoso, A.-P. (2023). Use of serious games with older adults: systematic literature review. Humanities and Social Sci-ences Communications, 10(1), 939. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02432-0

Heston, T. F. (2023). Gamifying Exercise in the Elderly. Journal of Clinical Medical Research, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.46889/JCMR.2023.4211

Hoy, D., Brooks, P., Blyth, F., & Buchbinder, R. (2010). The Epidemiology of low back pain. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 24(6), 769–781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2010.10.002

Instituto Nacional de Estatística. (2024). Estimativas de População Residente.

Keefe, F. J., Porter, L., Somers, T., Shelby, R., & Wren, A. V. (2013). Psychosocial interventions for man-aging pain in older adults: outcomes and clinical implications. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 111(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aet129

Langford, D. J., Baron, R., Edwards, R. R., Gewandter, J. S., Gilron, I., Griffin, R., Kamerman, P. R., Katz, N. P., McDermott, M. P., Rice, A. S. C., Turk, D. C., Vollert, J., & Dworkin, R. H. (2023). What should be the entry pain intensity criteria for chronic pain clinical trials? An IMMPACT update. Pain, 164(9), 1927–1930. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002930

Liao, Y.-H., Kao, T.-W., Peng, T.-C., & Chang, Y.-W. (2021). Gender differences in the association between physical activity and health-related quality of life among community-dwelling elders. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 33(4), 901–908. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01597-x

Lo, H. H. M., Zhu, M., Zou, Z., Wong, C. L., Lo, S. H. S., Chung, V. C.-H., Wong, S. Y.-S., & Sit, R. W. S. (2024). Immersive and Nonimmersive Virtual Reality–Assisted Active Training in Chronic Musculo-skeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e48787. https://doi.org/10.2196/48787

MacLean, R. R., Shor, R., Reilly, E. D., Reuman, L., Solar, C., Halat, A. M., & Higgins, D. M. (2025). Engage-ment in Digital Self-management Interventions for Chronic Pain. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 41(6). https://doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0000000000001289

Maddox, T., Sparks, C., Oldstone, L., Maddox, R., Ffrench, K., Garcia, H., Krishnamurthy, P., Okhotin, D., Garcia, L. M., Birckhead, B. J., Sackman, J., Mackey, I., Louis, R., Salmasi, V., Oyao, A., & Darnall, B. D. (2023). Durable chronic low back pain reductions up to 24 months after treatment for an ac-cessible, 8-week, in-home behavioral skills–based virtual reality program: a randomized con-trolled trial. Pain Medicine, 24(10), 1200–1203. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnad070

Marques-Vieira, C. M. A., Sousa, L. M. M. de, Sousa, L. M. R. de, & Berenguer, S. M. A. C. (2018). Validation of the Falls Efficacy Scale – International in a sample of Portuguese elderly. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 71(suppl 2), 747–754. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0497

Marttinen, M. K., Kautiainen, H., Haanpää, M., Pohjankoski, H., Vuorimaa, H., Hintikka, J., & Kauppi, M. J. (2019). Pain-related factors in older adults. Scandinavian Journal of Pain, 19(4), 797–803. https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2019-0039

Matheve, T., Bogaerts, K., & Timmermans, A. (2020). Virtual reality distraction induces hypoalgesia in patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of NeuroEngineer-ing and Rehabilitation, 17(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-020-00688-0

Mauck, M. C., Aylward, A. F., Barton, C. E., Birckhead, B., Carey, T., Dalton, D. M., Fields, A. J., Fritz, J., Has-sett, A. L., Hoffmeyer, A., Jones, S. B., McLean, S. A., Mehling, W. E., O’Neill, C. W., Schneider, M. J., Williams, D. A., Zheng, P., & Wasan, A. D. (2022). Evidence-based interventions to treat chronic low back pain: treatment selection for a personalized medicine approach. PAIN Reports, 7(5), e1019. https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000001019

Masyitah, D., Mashudi, M., Halimah, H., & Devianti Usman, R. (2025). El efecto de los ejercicios de cadena cinética abierta y cerrada sobre el equilibrio dinámico y el estado de salud en pacientes ancianos con osteoartritis. Retos, 73, 375-383. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v73.117609

Medrano-Ureña, M. del R. M.-U., & Castejón-Riber, C. (2025). Autoeficacia y expectativas de resultado como predictores de actividad física en la mediana edad según género. Retos, 69, 288-298. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v69.114162

Mills, S. E. E., Nicolson, K. P., & Smith, B. H. (2019). Chronic pain: a review of its epidemiology and asso-ciated factors in population-based studies. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 123(2), e273–e283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.023

Monteiro-Junior, R., de Souza, C., Lattari, E., Rocha, N., Mura, G., Machado, S., & da Silva, E. (2015). Wii-Workouts on Chronic Pain, Physical Capabilities and Mood of Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Double Blind Trial. CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets, 14(9), 1157–1164. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871527315666151111120131

Monticone, M., Ferrante, S., Rocca, B., Baiardi, P., Farra, F. D., & Foti, C. (2013). Effect of a Long-lasting Multidisciplinary Program on Disability and Fear-Avoidance Behaviors in Patients With Chron-ic Low Back Pain: [RETRACTED]. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 29(11), 929–938. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0b013e31827fef7e

Mortenson, W. Ben, Sixsmith, A., & Kaufman, D. (2017). Non-Digital Game Playing by Older Adults. Ca-nadian Journal on Aging / La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement, 36(3), 342–350. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980817000162

Neblett, R., Mayer, T. G., Williams, M. J., Asih, S., Cuesta-Vargas, A. I., Hartzell, M. M., & Gatchel, R. J. (2017). The Fear-Avoidance Components Scale (FACS). The Clinical Journal of Pain, 33(12), 1088–1099. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0000000000000501

O’Bryant, S. E., Humphreys, J. D., Smith, G. E., Ivnik, R. J., Graff-Radford, N. R., Petersen, R. C., & Lucas, J. A. (2008). Detecting Dementia With the Mini-Mental State Examination in Highly Educated In-dividuals. Archives of Neurology, 65(7). https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.65.7.963

Ong, C. H., Pham, B. L., Levasseur, M., Tan, G. R., & Seah, B. (2024). Sex and gender differences in social participation among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1335692. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1335692

Rainville, J., Smeets, R. J. E. M., Bendix, T., Tveito, T. H., Poiraudeau, S., & Indahl, A. J. (2011). Fear-avoidance beliefs and pain avoidance in low back pain—translating research into clinical prac-tice. The Spine Journal, 11(9), 895–903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2011.08.006

Ridgway, J. P., Uvin, A., Schmitt, J., Oliwa, T., Almirol, E., Devlin, S., & Schneider, J. (2021). Natural Lan-guage Processing of Clinical Notes to Identify Mental Illness and Substance Use Among People Living with HIV: Retrospective Cohort Study. JMIR Medical Informatics, 9(3), e23456. https://doi.org/10.2196/23456

Roelofs, J., Goubert, L., Peters, M. L., Vlaeyen, J. W. S., & Crombez, G. (2004). The Tampa Scale for Kinesi-ophobia: further examination of psychometric properties in patients with chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia. European Journal of Pain, 8(5), 495–502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpain.2003.11.016

Rosa, M., Lopes, S., Martins, N., & Lacomba-Arnau, E. (2025). Games as a Non-pharmacology Therapy for Chronic Pain – A Mixed Method Pilot Study in Older People (pp. 297–306). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-78269-5_28

Saragih, I. D., Suarilah, I., Saragih, I. S., Lin, Y., & Lin, C. (2024a). Efficacy of serious games for chronic pain management in older adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 33(3), 1185–1194. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.17012

Saragih, I. D., Suarilah, I., Saragih, I. S., Lin, Y., & Lin, C. (2024b). Efficacy of serious games for chronic pain management in older adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 33(3), 1185–1194. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.17012

Stamm, O., Dahms, R., Reithinger, N., Ruß, A., & Müller-Werdan, U. (2022). Virtual reality exergame for supplementing multimodal pain therapy in older adults with chronic back pain: a randomized controlled pilot study. Virtual Reality, 26(4), 1291–1305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-022-00629-3

Stretanski MF, Kopitnik NL, Matha A, & Conermann T. (2025). Chronic Pain. StatPearls Publishing.

Unsgaard‐Tøndel, M., Nilsen, T. I. L., Magnussen, J., & Vasseljen, O. (2013). Are Fear Avoidance Beliefs Associated with Abdominal Muscle Activation Outcome for Patients with Low Back Pain? Phys-iotherapy Research International, 18(3), 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1002/pri.1539

Van Bogaert, W., Coppieters, I., Kregel, J., Nijs, J., De Pauw, R., Meeus, M., Cagnie, B., Danneels, L., & Mal-fliet, A. (2021). Influence of Baseline Kinesiophobia Levels on Treatment Outcome in People With Chronic Spinal Pain. Physical Therapy, 101(6). https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzab076

van Middelkoop, M., Rubinstein, S. M., Verhagen, A. P., Ostelo, R. W., Koes, B. W., & van Tulder, M. W. (2010). Exercise therapy for chronic nonspecific low-back pain. Best Practice & Research Clini-cal Rheumatology, 24(2), 193–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2010.01.002

Vermeir, J. F., White, M. J., Johnson, D., Crombez, G., & Van Ryckeghem, D. M. L. (2025). Gamified Web-Delivered Attentional Bias Modification Training for Adults With Chronic Pain: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. JMIR Serious Games, 13, e50635. https://doi.org/10.2196/50635

Vlaeyen, J. W. S., Crombez, G., & Linton, S. J. (2016). The fear-avoidance model of pain. Pain, 157(8), 1588–1589. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000574

Vlaeyen, J. W. S., Kole-Snijders, A. M. J., Boeren, R. G. B., & van Eek, H. (1995). Fear of move-ment/(re)injury in chronic low back pain and its relation to behavioral performance. Pain, 62(3), 363–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(94)00279-N

Vlaeyen, J. W. S., & Linton, S. J. (2012). Fear-avoidance model of chronic musculoskeletal pain: 12 years on. Pain, 153(6), 1144–1147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2011.12.009

Vugts, M. A., Joosen, M. C., Mert, A., Zedlitz, A. M., & Vrijhoef, H. J. (2018). Effectiveness of Serious Gam-ing During the Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation of Patients With Complex Chronic Pain or Fa-tigue: Natural Quasi-Experiment. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(8), e250. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9739

Vugts, M. A. P., Joosen, M. C. W., Mert, A., Zedlitz, A., & Vrijhoef, H. J. M. (2017). Serious gaming during multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients with complex chronic pain or fatigue complaints: study protocol for a controlled trial and process evaluation. BMJ Open, 7(6), e016394. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016394

Wang, T., Fan, L., Zheng, X., Wang, W., Liang, J., An, K., Ju, M., & Lei, J. (2021). The Impact of Gamifica-tion-Induced Users’ Feelings on the Continued Use of mHealth Apps: A Structural Equation Model With the Self-Determination Theory Approach. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(8), e24546. https://doi.org/10.2196/24546

Yalfani, A., Abedi, M., & Raeisi, Z. (2022). Effects of an 8-Week Virtual Reality Training Program on Pain, Fall Risk, and Quality of Life in Elderly Women with Chronic Low Back Pain: Double-Blind Ran-domized Clinical Trial. Games for Health Journal, 11(2), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2021.0175

Yang, H., Hurwitz, E. L., Li, J., de Luca, K., Tavares, P., Green, B., & Haldeman, S. (2023). Bidirectional Comorbid Associations between Back Pain and Major Depression in US Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4217. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054217

Zadro, J. R., Shirley, D., Simic, M., Mousavi, S. J., Ceprnja, D., Maka, K., Sung, J., & Ferreira, P. (2019a). Vid-eo-Game–Based Exercises for Older People With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Con-trolledtable Trial (GAMEBACK). Physical Therapy, 99(1), 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy112

Zadro, J. R., Shirley, D., Simic, M., Mousavi, S. J., Ceprnja, D., Maka, K., Sung, J., & Ferreira, P. (2019b). Vid-eo-Game–Based Exercises for Older People With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Con-trolledtable Trial (GAMEBACK). Physical Therapy, 99(1), 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy112

Descargas

Publicado

23-10-2025

Número

Sección

Artículos de carácter científico: investigaciones básicas y/o aplicadas

Cómo citar

Henriques, B., Abreu, F., Jesus, L., Almeida, M., Silva, C. G., & Rosa, M. (2025). Impacto de una intervención basada en juegos sobre el dolor lumbar crónico considerando la interferencia de la kinesiofobia en adultos de mediana edad y mayores. Retos, 72, 1209-1225. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v72.117762