Effects of a short-term thalassotherapy on chronic pain, health-related QOL, and stress in older workers: A preliminary mixed-methods study

BackgroundChronic musculoskeletal pain is a prevalent health concern among older workers affecting their quality of life and overall well-being.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the combined effects of a short-term intervention involving sea mud application with local heat and complex exercises in a sea pine forest (SPF) setting, compared to a physical modalities group receiving regular physical modality (PM) intervention with stretching exercises.MethodsThe study focused on assessing the impact on pain reduction, improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured using the EQ-5D, and reduction in stress scores among older adults dealing with chronic musculoskeletal pain. A total of 24 participants were randomly assigned to either the thalassotherapy or the physical modalities group.ResultsThe results indicated a significant reduction in pain over time in both groups, suggesting that both interventions contributed to pain reduction. Although both interventions led to improvements in HRQoL and stress reduction, a significant difference in HRQoL improvement was observed between the thalassotherapy and physical modalities groups.ConclusionsThese findings highlight the potential benefits of thalassotherapy-based interventions in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in older workers.