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Pester et al. (2023) conducted a pilot study to investigate whether a brief mindfulness-based program can reduce postoperative pain in patients undergoing total knee replacement.
The study included 22 patients who were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness group or a control group. The mindfulness group received four sessions of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, while the control group received standard care.
This blogger (T. Dowling) notes that the Mindfulness Based Intervention used is significantly less intensive than the eight-week Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) or the eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs.
The results showed that the mindfulness group had significantly lower pain scores at 6 weeks than the control group. They also had a significant reduction in pain catastrophizing scores, which is the tendency to focus on and amplify the negative aspects of pain.
The study suggests that Mindfulness Based Interventions may be promising for reducing postoperative pain and improving recovery after total knee replacement. However, the study was limited by its small sample size and lack of a long-term follow-up.
Here are some additional details from the study:
- The mindfulness program was delivered in four 1-hour sessions. The first and last sessions were delivered in person, and the second and third sessions were delivered via telephone.
- The program included in-session practice and homework involving the body scan, sitting meditation, and lovingkindness meditation. It also included cognitive-behavioral psychoeducation focusing on pacing physical activity, coping strategies, and avoiding catastrophizing about pain.
- The control group received standard care, which included pain medication, physical therapy, and education about the surgery.
- The participants were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 and 6 months after surgery.
The study findings are promising, but more research is needed to confirm the benefits of Mindfulness Based Interventions for postoperative pain. Future studies should include a larger sample size and a longer follow-up period.
