The Effects of Fatigue on Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia During a Dynamic Resistance Exercise

The primary purpose of this study is to compare immediate changes in pain sensitivity (pressure pain threshold) during quiet rest, low fatigue exercise, and high fatigue exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Knee Extension Exercise; Other: Quiet Rest

Detailed Description

Participants will attend three sessions. Participants will fill out questionnaires, undergo pain sensitivity testing, and be randomly assigned to complete a high and low fatigue exercise on either the second or third session. During the exercise, participants will complete three sets of a single leg knee extension exercise with weight equivalent to 50% of their 1 repetition maximum until they report either a high or low fatigue level. Immediately before and after each set, the research team will examine immediate changes in sensitivity to pressure (pressure pain threshold).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 31
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Orlando, Florida, United States, 32765
      • University of Central Florida

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 56 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pain-free
• 18-60 years old
• Participant can appropriately perform the knee extension exercise (assessed during screening)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-English speaking
• Regular use of prescription pain medications
• Current or history of chronic pain condition
• Currently taking blood-thinning medication
• Systemic medical condition known to affect sensation, such as uncontrolled diabetes or neurological conditions
• Any contraindication to the application of ice, such as: uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure over 140/90 mmHg), cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, circulatory compromise
• Known presence of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disease
• Current use of tobacco products
• Not physically ready to exercise without a medical exam as indicated by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire Plus (PAR-Q+)
• Surgery, injury, or fracture to the lower back or lower extremity within the past 6 months

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low Fatigue Exercise; Participants will complete a single leg knee extension exercise with weight until they report a fatigue level = 3/10 on the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion. Participants will complete three sets.	Other: Knee Extension Exercise; Participants will be seated in a Steel Flex machine with weight equal to 50% of their 1 repetition maximum added to the machine. Participants will extend the dominant knee until the assigned fatigue level.
Experimental: High Fatigue Exercise; Participants will complete a single leg knee extension exercise with weight until they report a fatigue level = 8/10 on the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion. Participants will complete three sets.	Other: Knee Extension Exercise; Participants will be seated in a Steel Flex machine with weight equal to 50% of their 1 repetition maximum added to the machine. Participants will extend the dominant knee until the assigned fatigue level.
Active Comparator: Quiet Rest; Participants will rest quietly for two minutes, three sets.	Other: Quiet Rest; Participants will sit quietly for two minutes, three times.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Pressure Pain Threshold	A digital pressure algometer will be applied to the quadriceps and upper trapezius for two trials each. Participants are instructed to say "stop" or "pain" so the stimulus can be terminated "when the sensation first transitions from pressure to pain" (pain threshold). Participants will rate the pain experienced during the threshold testing using a 101-point numeric pain rate scale (NPRS) anchored with 0= no pain to 100= the most intense pain sensation imaginable immediately following each testing time.	Change from baseline immediately after exercise

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Temporal Summation	Participants will rate a train of 10 heat pulses using the 101-point numerical pain rating scale	Baseline, pre exercise
Heat Pain Threshold	A thermode will gradually increase temperature. Participants will state when the sensation first becomes painful.	Baseline, pre exercise
Conditioned Pain Modulation	Pressure pain threshold after an ice water immersion task will be measured.	Baseline, pre exercise
International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form	This is a self-report measure of physical activity that provides data regarding health-related physical activity.	Baseline, pre exercise
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index	This is a 10-item questionnaire in which individuals respond to statements regarding sleep quality. A higher score indicates a worse sleep quality.	Baseline, pre exercise
Pain Catastrophizing Scale	This is a 13-item questionnaire in which individuals respond to a statement on a five point scale from 0 to 4. Higher scores indicate higher pain catastrophizing levels.	Baseline, pre exercise
Fear of Pain Questionnaire 9	This is a 9-item questionnaire in which individuals respond to a statement on a five point scale from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate higher fear of pain.	Baseline, pre exercise
Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale	This is a 20-item questionnaire in which individuals respond to a statement on a six point scale from 0 to 5. Higher scores indicate higher pain-related anxiety.	Baseline, pre exercise
Brief Resilience Scale	This is a 6-item questionnaire in which individuals respond to a statement on a five point scale from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate greater resilience.	Baseline, pre exercise
Preference for and Tolerance of the Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire	This is a 16-item questionnaire in which individuals respond to a statement on a five point scale from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate lower tolerance for the intensity of exercise.	Baseline, pre exercise

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1-repetition maximum testing	The amount of weight that can be lifted for 1 repetition	Baseline, pre exercise

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Central Florida
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Abigail Wilson, University of Central Florida

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 28, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 20, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): April 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 22, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 30, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 24, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2023
• Last Verified: April 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2 (Other Identifier: Instituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No