Exercise offers a variety of benefits. It lowers our risk of disease, and it improves mood. A new study finds another reason to exercise- it increases pain tolerance.
A recent study published in the journal PLOS One found that people that exercise regularly are less likely to experience chronic pain reducing their need for pain medication.
The Study
Researchers at the University Hospital of North Norway analyzed results from 10,732 participants making it the country’s largest population study.
The participants were asked to report their physical activity level on a scale of sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous. They were then made to immerse their hands in ice water at a temperature between 32- and 41 degrees Fahrenheit to determine how long they could tolerate it.
The study was repeated twice at seven to eight-year intervals.
Results showed that any amount of physical activity increased levels of pain tolerance. The more exercise you do, the higher your pain tolerance will be.
The study’s lead author, Anders Pederson Arnes, broke down study results as follows.
“We found large effects for the most active versus the least active participants- close to 60 seconds tolerance on average for the sedentary group versus 80 seconds tolerance for the most active participants,” Arnes stated.
He also explained that results were consistent regardless of whether the participant was previously experiencing chronic pain.
“Chronic pain did not seem to diminish the effect of physical activity on pain tolerance which appeared just as strong for those with pain as for those without,” he stated.
Arnes was surprised to see no difference in pain tolerance in active men and women.
“We expected to see smaller effects for women, but that was not the case here,” he said.
The study showed promising results, but there were limitations as it was based on self-reported information which accounts for inaccuracies.
“We would not use these results to predict pain tolerance for small, clinical subpopulations,” Arnes said.
Other Studies on Exercise and Pain Tolerance
The recent study is not the only one that reveals the effects of exercise on pain tolerance. A 2017 study led by Southeastern Louisiana University showed that 24 college-aged students experienced increased pain tolerance after taking part in two sessions of circuit training and strength training.
A 2020 Australian study published in the journal DMC Musculoskeletal Disorders analyzed nearly 600 individuals who suffered from chronic musculoskeletal pain. It found that participants who engaged in regular aerobic physical activity were more resistant to pain.
While more research is needed to further establish the relationship between exercise and pain tolerance, Arnes’s study established that any type of exercise can be effective in reducing pain.
“You don’t have to perform as a top-tier athlete to enjoy the benefits of it. The most important thing is that you do something- and increasing your physical activity level could do you a lot of good,” he said.
