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Physical exercise and chronic pain in university students
Michael Grasdalsmoen1, Bo Engdahl2, Mats K Fjeld2
1Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
Plos One
|June 27, 2020
Summary
Regular physical exercise, including frequency, intensity, and duration, is linked to a lower risk of chronic pain in young adults. Increased exercise is associated with fewer pain locations, highlighting exercise
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Physical inactivity and chronic pain are significant global public health issues.
- While exercise benefits are known, research on exercise domains and chronic pain in young adults is limited.
- This study addresses the association between physical exercise and chronic pain in higher education students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between frequency, intensity, and duration of physical exercise and chronic pain.
- To examine the association between physical activity levels and the number of chronic pain locations in young adults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the SHoT2018-study, a national health survey of 36,625 Norwegian higher education students (aged 18-35).
- Assessed chronic pain using a novel digital instrument based on the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11).
- Measured physical exercise via self-reported frequency (times per week), intensity (average effort), and duration (hours per session).
Main Results:
- Over half (54%) of students reported chronic pain, with higher prevalence in women.
- An inverse dose-response relationship was observed: more frequent, intense, and longer exercise correlated with lower chronic pain risk.
- Higher exercise frequency was associated with fewer pain locations, with minimal changes after adjusting for covariates.
Conclusions:
- Facilitating physical activity among college and university students is crucial for public health, requiring institutional collaboration.
- The findings suggest a protective role of regular physical exercise against chronic pain in young adults.
- Causality cannot be definitively established due to the study's cross-sectional design.
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