REVIEW PAPER
Effect of therapeutic exercise on chronic pain in elderly: a narrative review
1
School of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica Silva Henríquez, Santiago, Chile
2
Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Arturo Prat, Victoria, Chile
Submission date: 2025-08-12
Acceptance date: 2026-01-29
Online publication date: 2026-07-16
Corresponding author
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Chronic pain is a highly prevalent condition in older adults and is commonly associated with comorbidities. Interventions such as therapeutic exercise represent the cornerstone of chronic pain management in this population. This review evaluated the effects of therapeutic exercise on older adults with chronic pain.
Methods:
This narrative review was conducted using the PubMed and Web of Science databases. A combination of search terms was employed, including "Older adults", "Aged", "Chronic pain", "Persistent pain", "Exercise therapy", "Therapeutic exercise", and "Rehabilitation exercises". The inclusion criteria comprised controlled clinical trials published in English within the last five years in which therapeutic exercise was the primary intervention for chronic pain in older adults.
Results:
The initial search yielded 33 studies, of which 10 studies were ultimately selected based on the inclusion criteria for analysis in this narrative review. The interventions and evaluations confirm that therapeutic exercise is beneficial for modulating chronic pain in older adults.
Conclusions:
This review concludes that therapeutic exercise in all its forms can positively modulate chronic pain in older adults.
Chronic pain is a highly prevalent condition in older adults and is commonly associated with comorbidities. Interventions such as therapeutic exercise represent the cornerstone of chronic pain management in this population. This review evaluated the effects of therapeutic exercise on older adults with chronic pain.
Methods:
This narrative review was conducted using the PubMed and Web of Science databases. A combination of search terms was employed, including "Older adults", "Aged", "Chronic pain", "Persistent pain", "Exercise therapy", "Therapeutic exercise", and "Rehabilitation exercises". The inclusion criteria comprised controlled clinical trials published in English within the last five years in which therapeutic exercise was the primary intervention for chronic pain in older adults.
Results:
The initial search yielded 33 studies, of which 10 studies were ultimately selected based on the inclusion criteria for analysis in this narrative review. The interventions and evaluations confirm that therapeutic exercise is beneficial for modulating chronic pain in older adults.
Conclusions:
This review concludes that therapeutic exercise in all its forms can positively modulate chronic pain in older adults.
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