title: Low intensity pain reported during elicitation of the H-reflex: no effects of trait anxiety and high intensity cycling exercise.
abstract: The aims of the experiment were to describe the intensity of pain perceptions experienced in response to elicitation of the H-reflex and examine the roles of trait anxiety and high intensity cycling exercise on those pain responses. Males (n=24) with high (n=12) or low (n=12) trait anxiety provided ratings of pain intensity in response to elicitation of the H-reflex before and after: resting for 20 min, cycling for 20 min at a high intensity (75% of peak oxygen consumption), or cycling for 20 min at a low intensity (40% of peak oxygen consumption). The results indicated that (i). low intensity pain was experienced during the elicitation of the H-reflex; (ii). high trait anxious males did not report more pain during the elicitation of the H-reflex, and (iii). there was no effect of high intensity cycling exercise on reducing post-exercise pain intensity associated with H-reflex elicitation. It is concluded that elicitation of the H-reflex reliably results in a low intensity pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Ramsey Student Center, The University of Georgia, 300 River Road, Athens, GA 30602-6554, USA.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Motl
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Rod K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Dishman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000502:physiology