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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Dynamic Quantitative Sensory Testing to Characterize Central Pain Processing
Published on: February 16, 2017
Pain sensitivity following a standardized two-hour cycling session: a randomized controlled crossover Study
Fabian Tomschi1, Joschua Wiese1, Holger Stephan1
1Department of Sports Medicine, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
Objective:
Exercise induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is characterized by an acute reduction in pain perception following exercise. However, lack of knowledge exists regarding the effects of long duration exercise on EIH. This study aims to explore (1) the effect of a 120 min exercise on EIH in trained male cyclists, and (2) whether the potentially observed EIH results differ between local loaded and unloaded central landmarks.
Methods:
In a randomized controlled crossover design, 20 trained male cyclists conducted a bicycle ergometer session of 120 min at 70 % of the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) and a control session in addition to a pre-experimental session (including medical anamnesis, incremental exercise test, IAT determination) with pauses of ≥2 days in between the respective visits. Heart rate (bpm), lactate concentrations (mmol/l), and rate of perceived exertion (RPE; 6-20) were documented. Pre and post, pain sensitivity was measured employing pressure pain thresholds (PPT [N/cm2]) at local muscular (rectus femoris, tibialis anterior), local articular (knee, ankle), and central landmarks (sternum, forehead).
Results:
Exercise resulted in an average heart rate of 141.2 ± 9.4 bpm, an average lactate concentration of 1.6 ± 0.4 mmol/l, and RPE scores of 14.9 ± 2.9. Regarding PPT, no 'time' × 'session' interaction effects were observed for local muscular (p=0.588), local articular (p=0.588), or central landmarks (p=0.910), with these PPT (N/cm2) values observed: local muscular (exercise: pre=81.0 ± 19.5, post=83.0 ± 18.4, relative change: 4.5 ± 16.6 %; control: pre=85.1 ± 22.9, post=85.3 ± 22.5, relative change: 0.7 ± 10.8 %), local articular (exercise: pre=81.9 ± 21.0, post=80.8 ± 21.5, relative change: -0.7 ± 12.2 %; control: pre=81.7 ± 20.9, post=79.2 ± 23.3, relative change: -3.2 ± 12.8 %), and central (exercise: pre=47.9 ± 13.7, post=45.9 ± 11.7, relative change: -1.1 ± 19.8 %; control: pre=48.8 ± 13.0, post=47.1 ± 13.5, relative change: -3.3 ± 16.1 %).
Conclusion:
Findings suggest that long duration exercise of a standardized moderate intensity may not be effective to induce EIH in trained male cyclists, while also no hyperalgesia is observed. These results are not different between loaded and unloaded body parts.
Ethical Committee Number:
SK/AE 221026 (University of Wuppertal, Germany).
