Stefan Gomolka1, Henrik Bjarke Vaegter2,3, Jo Nijs4,5,6, Mira Meeus6,7,8, Hannah Gajsar1, Monika I Hasenbring1, Christina Titze1. 1. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany. 2. Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. 3. Pain Research Group, Pain Center South, University Hospital Odense, Odense, Denmark. 4. Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. 5. Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium. 6. Pain in Motion International Research Group. 7. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. 8. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Acute exercise can trigger a hypoalgesic response (exercise-induced hypoalgesia [EIH]) in healthy subjects. Despite promising application possibilities of EIH in the clinical context, its reliability has not been sufficiently examined. This study therefore investigated the between-session and within-subject test-retest reliability of EIH at local and remote body parts after aerobic cycling at a heart rate-controlled intensity. METHODS: Thirty healthy adults (15 women) performed 15 minutes of aerobic cycling in two sessions. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed at the leg (local), the back (semilocal), and the hand (remote) before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after exercise. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for absolute and percent changes in PPT from baseline to immediately postexercise, and between-session agreement of EIH responders was examined. RESULTS: PPTs significantly increased at the leg during both sessions (all P < 0.001) and at the back during session 2 (P < 0.001), indicating EIH. Fair between-session reliability was shown for absolute changes at the leg (ICC = 0.54) and the back (ICC = 0.40), whereas the reliability of percent changes was poor (ICC < 0.33). Reliability at the hand was poor for both absolute and percent changes (ICC < 0.33). Agreement in EIH responders was not significant for EIH at the leg or the back (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest fair test-retest reliability of EIH after aerobic cycling for local and semilocal body parts, but only in men, demonstrating the need for more standardized methodological approaches to improve EIH as a clinical parameter.
OBJECTIVE: Acute exercise can trigger a hypoalgesic response (exercise-induced hypoalgesia [EIH]) in healthy subjects. Despite promising application possibilities of EIH in the clinical context, its reliability has not been sufficiently examined. This study therefore investigated the between-session and within-subject test-retest reliability of EIH at local and remote body parts after aerobic cycling at a heart rate-controlled intensity. METHODS: Thirty healthy adults (15 women) performed 15 minutes of aerobic cycling in two sessions. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed at the leg (local), the back (semilocal), and the hand (remote) before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after exercise. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for absolute and percent changes in PPT from baseline to immediately postexercise, and between-session agreement of EIH responders was examined. RESULTS:PPTs significantly increased at the leg during both sessions (all P < 0.001) and at the back during session 2 (P < 0.001), indicating EIH. Fair between-session reliability was shown for absolute changes at the leg (ICC = 0.54) and the back (ICC = 0.40), whereas the reliability of percent changes was poor (ICC < 0.33). Reliability at the hand was poor for both absolute and percent changes (ICC < 0.33). Agreement in EIH responders was not significant for EIH at the leg or the back (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest fair test-retest reliability of EIH after aerobic cycling for local and semilocal body parts, but only in men, demonstrating the need for more standardized methodological approaches to improve EIH as a clinical parameter.
Authors: Kevin Pacheco-Barrios; Anna Carolyna Gianlorenço; Roberto Machado; Marcos Queiroga; Huiyan Zeng; Emad Shaikh; Yiling Yang; Beatriz Nogueira; Luis Castelo-Branco; Felipe Fregni Journal: Princ Pract Clin Res Date: 2020-09-16
Authors: Bernard Liew; Ho Yin Lee; David Rügamer; Alessandro Marco De Nunzio; Nicola R Heneghan; Deborah Falla; David W Evans Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-03-25 Impact factor: 4.379