Comparing the Effects of Upper and Lower Body Resistance Training on Pain Sensitivity

February 26, 2025 updated by: Abigail Wilson, University of Central Florida
Resistance exercise may immediately lessen the perception of pain. The purpose of this study is compare the effects of an upper body exercise to a lower body exercise on the perception of pain (pressure pain threshold).

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

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

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • pain free

Exclusion Criteria:

  • non-English speaking
  • regular use of prescription pain medications
  • current or history of chronic pain condition
  • currently taking blood-thinning medication
  • any blood clotting disorder
  • medical conditions known to affect sensation, such as: uncontrolled diabetes or neurological conditions
  • any contraindication to the application of ice, including: uncontrolled hypertension, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, circulatory compromise
  • not physically ready to exercise without a medical exam as indicated by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire Plus (PAR-Q+)
  • surgery, injury, or fracture within the past 6 months
  • unable to perform exercise portions of the study
  • unable to attend three sessions
  • pregnant

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Lower Body Resistance Exercise
Participants will perform a leg extension exercise with weight that is 75% of their estimated 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Other: Lower Body Resistance Exercise
Participants will complete a leg extension exercise with weight equivalent to 75% of their estimated 1-repetition maximum 3 sets, 10 repetitions.
Experimental: Upper Body Resistance Exercise
Participants will perform a shoulder press with weight that is 75% of their estimated 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Other: Upper Body Resistance Exercise
Participants will complete a leg extension exercise with weight equivalent to 75% of their estimated 1-repetition maximum 3 sets, 10 repetitions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Lower Body Resistance Exercise
Time Frame: Pressure pain threshold will be applied to the quadriceps immediately after each exercise.
For pressure pain threshold, an algometer was gradually increased until the sensation changed from pressure to pain. Pressure at threshold was recorded in kilopascals.
Pressure pain threshold will be applied to the quadriceps immediately after each exercise.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Heat Pain Threshold
Time Frame: Heat Pain Threshold will be applied over the quadriceps before and after the exercise.
All participants completed Heat Pain Threshold. For heat pain threshold, a thermode will gradually warm up from 32 degrees Celsius until the participant reports the sensation changes from comfortable warmth to slightly unpleasant pain. The temperature at threshold will be recorded.
Heat Pain Threshold will be applied over the quadriceps before and after the exercise.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Central Florida

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Abigail Wilson, PT, DPT, PhD, University of Central Florida

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

August 29, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 16, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

October 16, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 26, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 2, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 26, 2025

Last Verified

February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 5

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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