Introduction: Self-management is an effective way to manage chronic low back pain (LBP) and is frequently recommended. However, the psychological aspects, including grit (ie, perseverance and passion for long-term goals), of the habit of self-management remain unclear.
Objective: To investigate the relationship between grit and the self-directed exercise.
Design: Cross-sectional observational study.
Setting: Community-dwelling older adults.
Participants: Fifty-nine older adults with LBP (30 men, 29 women; mean age 72 ± 5 years, range 65-82 years).
Intervention: Not applicable.
Main outcome measures: Primary outcome measures included grit scores on the Short Grit Scale and the number of months performing self-directed exercise. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between participants' grit and duration of self-directed exercise.
Results: A significant positive correlation between grit and the duration of self-directed exercise habits was observed (r = 0.49, P < .001). Furthermore, in multiple regression analysis, grit was a significant factor of the duration of self-directed exercise.
Conclusion: Low grit was associated with reduced self-directed exercise in individuals with LBP self-directed exercise.
© 2020 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.