Journal CME October 2026: Improvements in interoceptive sensibility, pain and functional clinical outcome measures after participation in an interdisciplinary pain management program-PM R - 2026 - Voss - Improvements in interoceptive sensibility pain and functional clinical outcome measures after

PM R - 2026 - Voss - Improvements in interoceptive sensibility pain and functional clinical outcome measures after

Pdf Summary

This observational cohort study examined whether interoceptive sensibility—people’s self-reported awareness of and attitudes toward bodily sensations—changes during interdisciplinary pain management and relates to functional improvement.<br /><br />Fifty-three adults with high-impact chronic pain completed a multidisciplinary outpatient program involving physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychology. Participants completed measures of interoceptive sensibility, pain, and function before and after treatment.<br /><br />At program completion, overall interoceptive sensibility increased significantly, as did six of the eight measured domains. The largest gains were in self-regulation and reduced worry about bodily sensations. Pain intensity and pain interference decreased, while performance and satisfaction in personally valued activities improved. Changes in pain and functional outcomes were generally clinically meaningful.<br /><br />In exploratory analyses, increased interoceptive sensibility explained additional variation in improvement in occupational performance and satisfaction, beyond demographic factors and reduced pain interference. It did not significantly explain change on the Patient-Specific Functional Scale.<br /><br />The findings suggest that interdisciplinary programs may help people engage with bodily sensations and use them to regulate distress, potentially supporting functional participation. However, heightened body awareness may also reflect pain-related vigilance; awareness strategies may therefore work best alongside skills for interpreting and managing sensations. Because the study lacked a comparison group, included a small and demographically limited sample, and used exploratory analyses, it cannot establish that the program caused these changes. Larger controlled studies are needed to confirm the findings and assess whether benefits persist.

Keywords

interoceptive sensibility

chronic pain

interdisciplinary pain management

multidisciplinary rehabilitation

body awareness

functional improvement

occupational performance

pain interference

self-regulation

psychological outcomes