Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2025
Measuring the Motor Aspect of Cancer-Related Fatigue using a Handheld Dynamometer
Published on: February 20, 2020
Physical activity and pain in people with and without cancer
Christopher T V Swain1,2, Matthew Masters3, Brigid M Lynch2,4,5
1Department of Physiotherapy, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Background:
Performing physical activity may provide analgesic benefit, although this effect is more established for noncancer pain rather than cancer pain. The relationship between physical activity and pain outcomes in adults with and without a history of cancer was examined.
Methods:
Totals of 51,439 adults without a cancer history and 10,651 adults with a cancer history from the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort were included. Exposures included self-reported moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as well as 2-year change in MVPA. Pain outcomes included pain intensity (primary outcome) and analgesic use (secondary outcome).
Results:
MVPA was inversely associated with pain intensity for adults with (odds ratio [OR], 0.84 [≥15 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) h/week vs. <7.5 MET h/week]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-0.93) and without (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.75-0.82) a history of cancer. Compared to remaining inactive, participants who became sufficiently active (cancer: OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.68-0.86; no cancer: OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.69-0.77), became inactive (cancer: OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.71-0.88; no cancer: OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.80-0.89), or remained sufficiently active (cancer: OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.60-0.72; no cancer: OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.60-0.65) also reported less pain. Physical activity was not related to analgesic use.
Conclusions:
The relationship between physical activity and pain intensity was not substantially different between people with and without a history of cancer. Cancer survivors who perform more activity, or who increase their activity, may experience less pain than cancer survivors who consistently perform less.
Plain Language Summary:
People who have had cancer often experience ongoing pain. Being physically active may help reduce the intensity of the pain they experience.
More Related Videos
07:14A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
07:26Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
Related Concept Videos
02:59Cancer Prevention
Some...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
01:20Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...