A little exercise can help prevent pain, Norwegian researchers have found. Their newly published study suggests that physically active people have a higher pain tolerance on average than those who are sedentary, while higher levels of physical activity may increase pain tolerance in those who are sedentary. man.
Unfortunately for anyone who hates sweating and chafing, exercise is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. Research also shows that it helps relieves pain. Exercise releases chemicals that act as natural pain relievers; the others exercises strengthen muscles and joints that are more prone to injury; and this’on mood booster, which is relevant because our emotional state affects our perception of pain. People with specific health considerations may need specially designed fitness routines, but many doctors today will even recommend exercise as a way to help manage chronic pain.
While exercise can relieve pain, there are some things we don’t fully understand this benefit. Researchers at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø and elsewhere wanted to explore a particular aspect of the connection between pain and exercise: our pain tolerance, defined as the maximum amount of pain we experience. cope before it becomes unbearable.
They decided to analyze data from a long-term population survey study that tracked the health habits and lifestyle of Norwegian adults, called the Tromsø study. Among other things, the study asked respondents about their typical level of physical activity and measured their pain tolerance through the cold pressor test, where people press their hands against the cold of ice water as long as they see possible. The team analyzed data from more than 10,000 people collected through two phases of the study, conducted from 2007 to 2008 and from 2015 to 2016.
Overall, the team found that people who reported being physically active in either phase had a higher average pain tolerance than those who reported being inactive in both phases. People with the highest self-reported levels of physical activity also had higher pain tolerance on average than others, and people whose physical activity increased from the first to the second phase also reported more pain tolerance over time. The team’s findings are PUBLISHED in PLOS-One.
“The main takeaway is that engaging in regular physical activity in your leisure time seems to be connected to your pain tolerance—the more active you are, the higher your tolerance,” Lead author Anders Årnes told Gizmodo.
Population studies like this cannot show a clear cause-and-effect relationship between two factors, such as exercise and pain tolerance, only a correlation. But the authors note that most studies looking at this question are smaller or not necessarily generalizable to the average person (e.g. studies of elite athletes). As such, more research will needed to break down Why can be exercise MAKE pain more bearable, even the authors began to work on some theories themselves.
“Some studies point to our ability to process pain signals as a possible contributing factor to chronic pain, as it often appears that those with chronic pain behave differently from those without,” Årnes said. “Since physical activity also appears to be a useful tool for the prevention and treatment of chronic pain, we are trying to determine if this pain tolerance effect could be one of the mechanisms by which physical activity protects against in chronic pain.
Meanwhile, the team says their findings should give people more incentive to exercise.
“The most important take-home message is that any activity is better than complete inactivity,” Årnes said.
This article has been updated with comments from one of the study authors.