Ageing well with chronic musculoskeletal pain: protocol for a systematic review of non-pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing pain in an ageing population

Background: Chronic musculoskeletal pain in the elderly is highly prevalent, with osteoarthritis, low back pain, neck pain and other musculoskeletal disorders as the leading contributors to pain chronicity and disability. Previous reviews identifying effective components of non-pharmacological interventions for treating chronic pain have either few studies or the included studies examine outcome over a limited time span. This systematic review will investigate the effectiveness and components of interventions associated with management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in older adults (≥65 years). Methods/Design: This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidance. Randomised controlled trials of non-pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing pain in older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain will be included. Articles will be identified through a comprehensive search of the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED, Scopus, Web of Science and PEDro. Two review authors will independently screen articles retrieved from the search for eligibility, and extract relevant data on methodological issues. A narrative synthesis will be completed if there are insufficient data for a meta-analysis. The narrative synthesis will summarise the current state of knowledge, interventions, study designs and robustness of evidence. Discussion: Findings of the study will inform support programs and interventions to assist people aging with pain, carers and other supporters and practitioners. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO 2017:CRD42017074173.