by Kara Murez
healthday reporter
THURSDAY, May 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) — One possible way to ease chronic pain: Get moving.
A new Norwegian study suggests that physically active people have a higher pain tolerance than sedentary types. People with higher levels of activity also had higher pain tolerance, according to the report published online May 24. one more,
“Getting or staying physically active over time can benefit your pain tolerance. Whatever you do, the most important thing is that you do something,” says study author Anders Arnes, at the University Hospital of Northern Norway. PhD student and colleagues said in a journal news release.
For the study, the investigators analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults who participated in a large population survey conducted periodically in Norway.
Using data from two rounds of the study — 2007 to 2008 and 2015 to 2016 — the researchers examined participants’ self-reported levels of physical activity and their levels of pain tolerance. Pain tolerance was tested by placing the hand in cold water.
People who reported being physically active in either round of the study had higher pain tolerance than those who reported a sedentary lifestyle in both rounds.
In addition, participants with higher total activity levels had higher pain tolerance. The findings showed that people with higher activity had higher levels of pain tolerance in the second round compared to the first round.
The researchers did not find a statistically significant association between changes in activity level and pain tolerance between the two study rounds.
However, he said, the findings suggest that being physically active, being active or promoting activity is associated with higher pain tolerance.
The study authors suggested that promoting physical activity could be a potential strategy for reducing or preventing chronic pain.
Future research may help confirm whether there is indeed a cause-and-effect relationship between activity and pain.
more information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the benefits of physical activity.
Source: one moreNews Release, May 25, 2023
