Seeking participants for January “Living Well with Pain Workshop,” spots limited

A West Virginia University Department of Orthopaedics research study is seeking participants with aches and pains from Berkeley, Doddridge, Greenbrier, Jackson, Marion, Monongalia,  Wood, and surrounding counties in West Virginia; Fayette County in Pennsylvania; and Washington County in Ohio for a self-help workshop.

The six-week workshop will be held once per week for 2.5 hours as part of a research study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Participants will learn how to manage stress, communicate with their healthcare team, use medications safely, maintain a healthy lifestyle and set goals through action plans. The techniques may help them better manage the physical, mental and emotional challenges caused by their pain.

Sandra Bush, a past participant of the study, said that the course provided new ways to approach old aches and pains. Bush’s battle with arthritis limited her ability to use her go-to methods of pain management, like water therapy and walking.

“The program and the materials provided have changed my life,” Bush said. “I begin my days with the knowledge I gained from the study. I once felt hopeless dealing with my pain, and now I have returned to the activities that bring me joy, including the pool.”

To join the study, participants must be living with pain, not related to cancer, for three months or longer; be willing to be assigned to start the workshop immediately or after six months; and be willing to return for follow-up visits every six months for up to a year and a half.  Participants will receive between $25 and $75 in gift cards for attending the first two visits.

WVU’s Department of Orthopaedics and the West Virginia Prevention Research Center are partnering with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department in this research study.

Spots are limited. Participants are encouraged to register now for the January studies. If interested, contact Andrew Denny, Project Coordinator, at 304-293-3698 or adenny1@hsc.wvu.edu. Interested participants may also contact the lead investigator, Dina Jones, P.T., Ph.D., with questions at 304-293-1078 or dljones@hsc.wvu.edu.

The West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network and West Virginia Project ECHO are also study partners and are providing support for promotional and recruitment activities. This study is supported by a cooperative agreement (1-U48-DP-005004) funded by the CDC Prevention Research Center Program.

For updates on the WVU School of Medicine, follow us on twitter @WVUMedSchool,