Examining the relationship between endogenous pain modulation capacity and endurance exercise performance. Issue 3 (3rd July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Flood, Andrew; Waddington, Gordon; Cathcart, Stuart
• Is Part Of: Research in sports medicine. Volume 25:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: 300
• Page End: 312
• Publication Date: 2017-07-03
• Subjects: Conditioned pain modulation -- CPM -- pain inhibition -- isometric exercise; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Athletic Injuries -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine du sport -- Périodiques; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2017.1314291
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1543-8627

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between pain modulatory capacity and endurance exercise performance. Twenty-seven recreationally active males between 18 and 35 years of age participated in the study. Pain modulation was assessed by examining the inhibitory effect of a noxious conditioning stimulus (cuff occlusion) on the perceived intensity of a second noxious stimulus (pressure pain threshold). Participants completed two, maximal voluntary contractions followed by a submaximal endurance time task. Both performance tasks involved an isometric contraction of the non-dominant leg. The main analysis uncovered a correlation between pain modulatory capacity and performance on the endurance time task ( r = −.425, p = .027), such that those with elevated pain modulation produced longer endurance times. These findings are the first to demonstrate the relationship between pain modulation responses and endurance exercise performance.