Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41810461›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in sports and active living2026

From accelerometer data to activity patterns in chronic pain: methodical reasoning is key.

Annet Doomen, Ivan Huijnen, Harriët Wittink, Tale Evenhuis, Martine Verwoerd, Rob Smeets

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in sports and active living, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Annet DoomenDepartment of Healthy and Sustainable Living, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Ivan HuijnenResearch School CAPHRI, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Harriët WittinkDepartment of Healthy and Sustainable Living, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Tale EvenhuisDepartment of Healthy and Sustainable Living, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Martine VerwoerdDepartment of Healthy and Sustainable Living, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Rob SmeetsResearch School CAPHRI, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Activity pattern (AP) concepts are widely used in interdisciplinary chronic pain (CP) care. It is assumed that AP can be objectively measured with accelerometry, but previous results show inconsistencies which may be attributed to methodical choices. This scoping review aims to provide insight in the process of methodical reasoning for measuring AP concepts within CP and the implications for the validity of the methods presented. This process comprises (1) selection of the AP-related concept, (2) its definition or specification (conceptualization), (3) its operationalization with variables and indicators, and (4) measurement properties and data processing. Five databases were searched for full-text publications from inception to November 2024 and publications were included when AP were measured with tri-axial accelerometers for at least five consecutive days in adults with primary musculoskeletal CP. The searches yielded 11,648 papers. Fifteen papers were included and summarized in three tables: 1. Study characteristics, 2. Concepts, definitions and operationalization, 3. Measurement properties and data processing. Concepts were diverse and could be divided into behavioral concepts and concepts derived from physics. Methods were heterogeneous, reporting of methods was incomplete and validity was doubtful in multiple cases. This review provides recommendations for future research steps that could facilitate the comparison of upcoming studies and their application in daily practice. As a first step in securing comparability and usability of future research, consensus is needed on clinically relevant and valid AP concepts and their definitions, followed by consensus on operationalization, data processing, and measurement methods. Systematic Review Registration: 10.17605/OSF.IO/A8U6J.

Indexed as

accelerometryactivity patternchronic paindata processinginertial measurement unitphysical activitywearable sensors

Identifiers

PMID41810461
PMCPMC12968238

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.