EFIC ON THE MOVE

Physical activity´s well-known health benefits include a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and improved mental health. What is less well known is that greater levels of physical activity and exercise are also associated with a lower risk of developing chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain on a daily basis for 12 weeks. It is a significant health issue affecting between 12-30% Europeans.

The cost to the economy is enormous in terms of healthcare costs and lost productivity (2.2% of GDP in Germany, 2.8% in Ireland, and 1.7% in the Netherlands).

Therefore, our Past President, Bart Morlion, launched the idea of a Presidential Campaign, that will run across the three-year mandate of each President. The theme for 2017-2020 was ‘EFIC On the Move’ focusing on the importance of physical activity in preventing primary and secondary pain.

Factsheet: EFIC On The Move at a glance

OUR CALL TO ACTION

All healthcare professionals should advise patients on the importance of physical activity and the role that  physical activity plays in the prevention of chronic pain. This requires knowledge, motivation, empowerment (using language that patients understand), a physical environment that facilitates change and a plan that helps them to persevere.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Please contact secretary@efic.org if you wish to use these materials for your own campaign activities, or if you wish to request a translation into your own local language.

CAMPAIGN MILESTONES

• Working group of patients, medical doctors and physiotherapists joined forces to define campaign goals and focus under the leadership of EFIC Presiden Elect, Brona Fullen.
• First brainstorm meeting in the European Parliament June 2018.
• In 2019, the European Region of the World Congress of Physical Therapy joins the campaign to co-produce On the move infographic, summarizing the key messages of the campaign.
• EFIC on the move featured during the European Public Health Week 2019.
• EFIC on the move as a prominent theme of the EFIC 2019 congress.
• EFIC on the move was showcased through a poster presentation, along with many other advocacy and education projects at the Societal Impact of Pain 2019 Symposium.
• EFIC on the move themes and messages was included in the 2020 Global and European Year for Pain Prevention organized with the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
• The EFIC on the move working group published an article entitled ‘Physical activity should be the primary intervention for individuals living with chronic pain‘ on the European Journal of Pain.
• EFIC on the move working group published an infographic and a short video on its latest article ‘Physical activity should be the primary intervention for individuals living with chronic pain‘. Read the infographic here and watch the video here.

CAMPAIGN  TOOLS

Video: Tips for general public on the importance of physical activity to prevent pain

TRANSLATIONS