User needs for technology supporting physical activity in chronic pain

Tali Swann-Sternberg, Aneesha Singh, Nadia Bianchi‐Berthouze, Amanda C de C Williams · 2012

An emerging field of HCI is the use of interactive technology to promote fitness. However, current persuasive fitness technologies for the general population do not address the psychological needs of users with chronic conditions. This is particularly the case in chronic pain. Research indicates that people with chronic pain have negative beliefs and experiences associated with pain such as anxiety about provoking pain through exercise. We interviewed physiotherapists and people with chronic pain to get an understanding of the physical and psychological needs that must be addressed by a technology for supporting physical activity in this population. Five themes emerged: pain management approach, personalisation/tailoring, exercise adherence, supportive functions, and visual representations.

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