Thermal pain perception after aerobic exercise.
OBJECTIVE
To examine thermal pain perception before, 5 minutes after, and 30 minutes after 30 minutes of treadmill exercise at 75% of maximal oxygen uptake (V o 2 max).


METHODS
Repeated-measures.


METHODS
Sports science laboratory.


METHODS
Convenience sample of 14 healthy male and female volunteers (mean age +/- standard deviation, 32+/-3y).


METHODS
Sensory thresholds, pain thresholds, and pain ratings to hot and cold stimuli were measured before and after 30 minutes of treadmill exercise at 75% of V o 2 max. The hot and cold stimuli were delivered by using a thermode placed on the thenar eminence of the nondominant hand. Thermal sensory and pain thresholds were determined during continuous ramps in temperature of the thermode.


METHODS
Pain ratings were measured on a visual analog scale at 10-second intervals over 2 minutes of thermal pain stimulation.


RESULTS
There were no significant changes in thermal sensitivity, pain thresholds, or pain ratings for either heat or cold after 30 minutes of exercise at 75% of V o 2 max.


CONCLUSIONS
Pain perception to thermal stimuli was unaltered after 30 minutes of exercise at 75% of V o 2 max, an intensity and duration of exercise previously shown to alter pain perception to electric and mechanical stimuli.
Ruble
Stephen B
SB
Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Hoffman
Martin D
MD
Shepanski
Melissa A
MA
Valic
Zoran
Z
Buckwalter
John B
JB
Clifford
Philip S
PS
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000502:physiology*