Publication: Effect of Sub-maximal Exercise Stress on Cold Pressor Pain: A Gender Based Study
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Analgesic effect of exercise is a well established fact; however available reports
are contradictory on gender differences in pain perception following exercise stress
test.
Objective
The current study is prospectively designed to evaluate and compare the effect
of acute bout of sub-maximal exercise stress on cold pressor pain in normal adult
males and females.
Method
The experimental study design involved healthy adults (n= 41); females (n = 18)
and males (n=23) aged between 18 to 25 years and included them into four sets of
experiments: SET I (Control), “resting blood pressure, radial pulse and respiratory
rate were recorded after 15 minutes of complete supine relaxation. SET II (Cold
Pressor Pain Test): Pain Threshold, Pain Tolerance, and Pain Duration in seconds
were taken. SET III (Exercise Stress Test): Sub-maximal exercise of 70 to 75% of
maximum predicted heart rate was given for 6 minutes. SET IV (Cold Pressor Pain
Test immediately after Exercise Stress Test): At 0 minute of recovery again the pain
parameters; Pain Threshold, Pain Tolerance, and Pain Duration in seconds were
taken. SET I, SET II were performed in order on the first day and SET III and SET IV
on the second day to ensure only a single Cold Pressor Pain Test is performed in
each day.
Result
The data (Mean ±SD) analysis showed significant increased in pain threshold
(males: 14.36±10.6 Vs 21.47±13seconds, p<0.001, females: 14.1±11.5 Vs 23.81±
20.22 seconds, p<0.001) and pain tolerance time (males: 41.3±19.31Vs 54.1±21.7
seconds, p<0.001) in both sexes after 6 min of acute bout of sub-maximal exercise
stress test with comparable age, BMI and baseline resting values of pain parameters
and pulse rate and blood pressure. The percentage increment pain tolerance time
following the exercise stress in female is higher than male (78.6 Vs 68.9%).
Conclusion
The result suggests that pain sensation decreases immediately after a brief period
of exercise challenge irrespective of gender, and the analgesic effect of the acute
bout of exercise in terms of pain tolerant time is more enhanced in females than
males.
KEY WORDS
Analgesia, exercise, gender, pain tolerance
Description
Pokhrel BR,1 Malik SL,1 Ansari AH,2 Paudel BH,3 Sinha R,3 Sinha M3
Department of Physiology
1Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences
Kavre, Nepal
2All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
3B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal