In a fascinating bit of research, medical experts suggest that loneliness may actually contribute to delayed healing in patients with chronic leg and foot wounds.
The research into the social side of wound recovery began when Teresa Kelechi, Ph. D., associate dean for research at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing and eventual lead researcher on the study, observed that some patients showed signs of delayed wound healing despite following practical wound healing advice.
“They had clean wounds. They had good nutrition. They had adequate exposure to natural light. They had all the things that would make people heal and be healthy,” said Kelechi. “However, there was something missing that we could never put our finger on.”
Dr. Kelechi ended up connecting with Laurie Theeke, Ph.D., at George Washington University, who has been exploring the link between loneliness and health for nearly two decades.
“When people are lonely, they are in a fight-or-flight response,” Theeke said. “They have a diminished immune state, and they are less likely to heal than someone who is not in that state.”
Loneliness Study
Kelechi and Theeke decided to explore whether a connection between loneliness and delayed wound healing existed in patients with leg and foot wounds. In the study, the pair analysed a set of genes defined by the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), a biological pattern in which certain genes are turned on or off in response to adverse psychological stressors. They selected set of genes was also related to inflammation response.
Researchers recruited patients with chronic leg and foot wounds and divided them into high loneliness or low loneliness groups using the 20-item UCLA Loneliness Scale, which measures perceived loneliness through responses to specific statements. Researchers also noted that loneliness is different than social isolation, which is defined as a person’s number of social connections, whereas loneliness reflects the perceived quality of those relationships.
Blood samples were collected from all study participants, and these samples were used to measure pro-inflammatory gene expression.
After looking at the data, researchers found that those in the high loneliness group had a significantly higher expression of pro-inflammatory genes, which may impact and delay healing. Specifically, 18 genes formed a distinct profile characterizing the high-loneliness group, which added to the growing body of evidence that perceived loneliness can influence physical health.
Following the study, researchers submitted a grant to conduct a randomized trail in which people at wound clinics would receive individual cognitive behavioral therapy to address loneliness.
“Chronic wounds and loneliness can reinforce each other, and loneliness may be linked to a measurable pro-inflammatory gene expression profile,” said Kelechi. “This suggests that wound care should include psychosocial assessment and support, not only dressings and procedures.”
These findings are quite interesting. We always stress the importance of having a strong social circle when treating foot ailments or when recovering after surgery because we know just how taxing recovery can be. We’ve also talked at length about caring for your mental and emotional health just as much as your physical health after an injury because these facets of our lives are interconnected, and this study showcases that. When we’re struggling mentally with feelings of loneliness, it can lead to physical problems for our recovery in the form of increased inflammation and delayed healing.
Be sure to connect with others if you’re working to overcome a foot or leg injury, and keep this study in mind if you have a friend or family member battling with a health issue of their own. Reach out to them and let them know that they are not alone, because it may end up having real world benefits for their recovery!