Exercise-induced hypoalgesia following blood flow restricted exercise

Assess the repeatability of exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) following low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (LL + BFR) and the magnitude of EIH following LL + BFR, high-load resistance exercise, and a control intervention 1-h after exercise.

Crossover design.

University laboratory.

15 females, 15 males.

Pain pressure threshold and tolerance of the rectus femoris, gastrocnemius, and biceps brachii pre-exercise and 0-, 15-, 30-, 45-, and 60-min post-exercise.

There was no significant (p = 0.211-0.741) difference in pain pressure threshold or tolerance between LL + BFR1 and LL + BFR2 suggesting that EIH following LL + BFR is repeatable. LL + BFR elicited a significant (p = 0.001-0.043) increase in local pain pressure threshold (1.57 ± 1.21-0.98 ± 1.48 Δkgf) and tolerance (1.98 ± 2.65-0.83 ± 2.15 Δkgf) up to 1-h post-exercise. High-load resistance exercise elicited a significant (p = 0.003-0.034) increase in pain pressure threshold 0-min post-exercise (1.69 ± 1.74 Δkgf) and tolerance 0- and 15-min post-exercise (2.31 ± 2.44 Δkgf; 0.56 ± 1.83 Δkgf, respectively) then returned to pre-exercise levels. LL + BFR elicited a significant (p = 0.025-0.046) increase in systemic pain pressure tolerance (0.77 ± 0.88 Δkgf) of the gastrocnemius as well as pain pressure threshold (0.53 ± 0.54 Δkgf) and tolerance (0.49 ± 1.02 Δkgf) of the biceps brachii, when collapsed across Time.

LL + BFR may be a repeatable, effective pain management intervention that can produce prolonged EIH.