Postural Control and Physical Function in Older Adults with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Effects of the Physical Exercises and the Implications for Activities of Daily Living

Chronic pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with or similar to actual or potential tissue damage. Chronic pain is a public health problem for individuals, families, and the healthcare system, affecting more than 30% of people worldwide. Chronic pain occupies the sixth position in individuals aged 50–74 years for years lived with a disability related to low back pain which demonstrates its negative functional impact in old age. It is believed that the speed in processing cognitive information, gait and postural control may be altered with the persistence of pain, but the association between chronic pain and cognitive function is still inconclusive. The objective of this chapter is to present evidence related to motor behavior and postural control in individuals with chronic pain. Some studies have shown that individuals with chronic pain have learning difficulties when compared to individuals without pain. Also, they present deficits in memory, attention, ability to plan actions, perception of faces, visuospatial orientation and emotional responses. The physical exercises contribute in reducing pain effects and associated symptoms such as: physical function, mood, sleep quality and quality of life.