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Sex differences in delayed onset muscle pain.
Erin A Dannecker1, Heather A Hausenblas, Thomas W Kaminski
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211-4250, USA. danneckere@missouri.edu
The Clinical Journal of Pain
|February 22, 2005
Summary
This study found no significant sex differences in delayed onset muscle pain intensity or unpleasantness. Men reported higher affective ratios, indicating pain was more unpleasant than intense for them.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Pain research
- Sex differences in health
Background:
- Consensus is lacking on whether women experience greater delayed onset muscle pain (DOMS) than men.
- Previous research on sex differences in pain has yielded conflicting results.
- Quantified stimuli and multidimensional pain measures are needed to clarify DOMS sex differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex differences in delayed onset muscle pain (DOMS).
- To utilize quantified stimulus intensity and multidimensional pain measures.
- To compare pain intensity, unpleasantness, and affective ratios between sexes.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-five participants (49.5% women) underwent eccentric exercise.
- Eccentric exercise intensity was normalized to individual eccentric strength for both sexes.
- Pain intensity, unpleasantness, and affective ratios were assessed at 24 and 48 hours post-exercise.
Main Results:
- Muscle pain was confirmed by significant increases in intensity and unpleasantness (P<0.01).
- Affective ratios indicated pain was perceived as more unpleasant than intense.
- No significant sex differences in pain intensity or unpleasantness were found, though men reported higher affective ratios (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- This study did not find higher muscle pain ratings in women compared to men, aligning with some DOMS literature.
- Findings contrast with studies using non-tissue-damaging acute pain stimuli.
- Further research is needed to identify factors influencing sex differences in DOMS detection.