Trial reportBMJ open2021
Testing a newly developed activity pacing framework for chronic pain/fatigue: a feasibility study.
Trial report in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03497585 (Developing an Activity Pacing Framework for the Management of Chronic Pain/Fatigue. Stage III), which is not on this map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Developing an Activity Pacing Framework for the Management of Chronic Pain/Fatigue. Stage III: Feasibility and Acceptability Studies
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Women's Ways of Coping With Chronic Widespread Pain-A Phenomenographic Study.Musculoskeletal care · 2026Article
- Behavioral and molecular characterization of fatigue-like manifestations triggered by acute restraint stress and LPS or saline.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Pacing and energy management with digital tools for conditions with chronic fatigue: What we know so far in ME/CFS and Long COVID.PLOS digital health · 2026Article
- Unravelling the diversity of pacing behaviours in adults with chronic conditions: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2026Observational
- A mouse model to study persistent fatigue.Research square · 2026Article
- Review
- A Short-Term Pacing Intervention in People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Pilot Study in Portugal.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Systematic review: digital biomarkers of fatigue in chronic diseases.NPJ digital medicine · 2025Article
- Are depression, anxiety, and fear-avoidance predictors of outcomes after digital care for chronic musculoskeletal pain?Pain reports · 2025Article
- Do Physical Activities Prevent the Occurrence of Bothersome Pain?Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2025Article
- Health-related quality of life associated with fatigue, physical activity and activity pacing in adults with chronic conditions.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Design and validation of an energy level diary for fatigue management in patients with post-COVID syndrome.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Article
- A Personalised Pacing and Active Rest Rehabilitation Programme for Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation and Health Status in Long COVID (PACELOC): A Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- A scoping review of 'Pacing' for management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): lessons learned for the long COVID pandemic.Journal of translational medicine · 2023Article
- Self-regulation of effort for a better health-related quality of life: a multidimensional activity pacing model for chronic pain and fatigue management.Annals of medicine · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo test the feasibility of using a new activity pacing framework to standardise healthcare professionals' instructions of pacing, and explore whether measures of activity pacing/symptoms detected changes following treatment.
designSingle-arm, repeated measures study.
settingOne National Health Service (NHS) Pain Service in Northern England, UK.
participantsAdult patients with chronic pain/fatigue, including chronic low back pain, chronic widespread pain, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.
interventionsSix-week rehabilitation programme, standardised using the activity pacing framework. OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility was explored via patients' recruitment/attrition rates, adherence and satisfaction, and healthcare professionals' fidelity. Questionnaire data were collected from patients at the start and end of the programme (T1 and T2, respectively) and 3 months' follow-up (T3). Questionnaires included measures of activity pacing, current/usual pain, physical/mental fatigue, depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, avoidance, physical/mental function and quality of life. Mean changes in activity pacing and symptoms between T1-T2, T2-T3 and T1-T3 were estimated.
resultsOf the 139 eligible patients, 107 patients consented (recruitment rate=77%); 65 patients completed T2 (T1-T2 attrition rate=39%), and 52 patients completed T3 (T1-T3 attrition rate=51%). At T2, patients' satisfaction ratings averaged 9/10, and 89% attended ≥5 rehabilitation programme sessions. Activity pacing and all symptoms improved between T1 and T2, with smaller improvements maintained at T3.
conclusionThe activity pacing framework was feasible to implement and patients' ability to pace and manage their symptoms improved. Future work will employ a suitable comparison group and test the framework across wider settings to explore the effects of activity pacing in a randomised controlled trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03497585.
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