This study assessed the effect of an eight-minute cycling intervention using varying intensities on exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Generally, current research examines EIH using protocols that last for more than 10 minutes and reach 75% of an individual's VO2 peak. The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of varying intensities on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and heat pain threshold (HPT) at the thigh and forearm, tested pre- and post-cycling intervention.
Healthy male participants (n=16) performed a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to establish their peak power output (PPO). In subsequent visits, participants completed five different 8-minute cycling interventions, with intensities randomly assigned to one of three counterbalanced orders. HPT and PPT were applied to the thigh and forearm two times before and after each cycling intervention.
Additionally, there was a notable effect of intensity on PPT in the thigh, with significant changes at intensities of 90% (p = 0.024) and 100% (p = 0.003). In the forearm, repeated measures ANOVA indicated that there was no significant interaction or main effect for intensity and time. Similarly, for HPT, the analysis did not show significant interaction or main effects for both intensity and location.
This study was the first to examine EIH using an 8-minute cycling intervention on a cycling ergometer at individualized intensities. Higher intensity cycling sessions generated EIH locally in the thigh using PPT. This intervention appeared to target the nociceptors activated by mechanical, rather than thermal stimuli, further highlighting the multi-faceted nature of EIH. A short but high intensity cycling intervention may have clinical relevance, as it can provide an intervention to reduce localized pain immediately after exercise using a pressure pain stimulus.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ucf.edu/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd2023-1167 |
Date | 01 January 2024 |
Creators | Antonio, Brandi B |
Publisher | STARS |
Source Sets | University of Central Florida |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | text |
Format | application/pdf |
Source | Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024 |
Rights | In copyright |
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