Effect of Different Exercise Intensities on Induced Hypoalgesia and Pressure Pain Threshold in Non- Athletic Normal Young Adults

Abstract

Background: Pain is a frequent problem in medical practice. Several studies provided a good base in physical therapy
field to use benefits of post-exercise hypoalgesia occurring after single bout of non exhaustive isometric and dynamic
exercises in reduction of pain threshold in non-athletic healthy adults. Objectives: to examine the effect of post exercise
hypoalgesia on pain threshold modulation that occurs following isometric and dynamic exercises. Methodology:One
hundred and fifty healthy students participated in this study with age ranging between 18 and 23. The subjects were
selected from Faculty of physical therapy, Deraya University. The subjects had no history of sensory or motor
manifestations and were not under concurrent medications during this study. The sample was divided randomly into
two equal groups; Group (1) was tested for the effect of non-exhaustive sub maximal single bout of isometric exercise
on pressure pain threshold (PPT). Group (2) was tested for the effect of a single bout of short duration dynamic exercise
on PPT. Dolorimeter was used to assess PPT in both groups. Results: Results revealed that there was a significant
effect of non-exhaustive isometric and dynamic exercises application on PPT. Pressure pain threshold was elevated in
both dominant non-dominant sides after isometric and dynamic exercises which lasted for ten minutes. There was no
significant difference between the effect of isometric and dynamic exercises. Conclusion: It can be concluded that both
short duration non-exhaustive submaximal isometric and dynamic exercises has hypoalgesic response which decrease
pain threshold in non-athletic healthy young Adult.