Intensity and duration threshold for aerobic exercise-induced analgesia to pressure pain

Martin D. Hoffman, Melissa A. Shepanski, Stephen B. Ruble, Zoran Valic, John B. Buckwalter, Philip S. Clifford

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178 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hoffman MD, Shepanski MA, Ruble SB, Valic Z, Buckwalter JB, Clifford PS. Intensity and duration threshold for aerobic exercise-induced analgesia to pressure pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1183-7. Objective To examine how exercise-induced analgesia is affected by the duration and intensity of aerobic exercise. Design Repeated-measures design. Setting Exercise science laboratory. Participants Convenience sample of 12 healthy male and female volunteers (mean age ± standard deviation, 32±9y). Interventions Pain ratings were assessed before and at 5 and 30 minutes after treadmill exercise of 10 minutes at 75% maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), 30 minutes at 50% V̇O2max, and 30 minutes at 75% V̇O2max (randomized order and no less than 48h between each bout). Main outcome measures Pain ratings were measured on a visual analog scale at 10-second intervals during a 2-minute pressure-pain stimulus to the nondominant index finger. Results Pain ratings were significantly decreased (P<.05) from pre-exercise values 5 minutes after 30 minutes of exercise at 75% V̇O2max but returned toward baseline by 30 minutes after exercise. There were no significant changes in pain ratings after 10 minutes of exercise or after exercise at 50% V̇O2max. Conclusions There are thresholds for both the intensity (>50% V̇O2max) and duration (>10min) of exercise required to elicit exercise analgesia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1183-1187
Number of pages5
JournalArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume85
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2004
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Analgesia
  • Exercise
  • Pain
  • Pain threshold
  • Physical exertion
  • Rehabilitation

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