Mechanisms of Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia

Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia (EIH) is a lessening of pain sensitivity in response to an acute bout of exercise. Limited research has examined the effects of expectations on EIH during a dynamic resistance training during different intensities. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of positive and negative expectations on EIH.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Positive Expectations Instructional Set; Other: Negative Expectations Instructional Set

Detailed Description

Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria and consent to participate will attend one testing session that is approximately one hour. Baseline Pressure Pain Threshold will be measured followed by random assignment to one of four study arms.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• 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: 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, such as hemophilia
• Systemic medical condition known to affect sensation, such as uncontrolled diabetes or neurological conditions
• Not physically ready to exercise without a medical exam as indicated by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire Plus (PAR-Q+)
• Not have had Surgery, injury, or fracture within the past 6 months

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High Intensity Exercise; Participants will complete an upper body resistance exercise until they report a high fatigue level.	Other: Positive Expectations Instructional Set; Participants randomly assigned to this instructional set will be told, "You will be completing an intervention known to be effective for some people with shoulder pain. We expect this will make you less sensitive to the pressure applied to your shoulder and thigh and you will require more pressure than what was previously necessary to experience pain."; Other: Negative Expectations Instructional Set; Participants randomly assigned to this instructional set will be told, "You will be completing an intervention which is not effective for some people with shoulder pain. We expect this will make you more sensitive to the pressure applied to your shoulder and thigh and you will require less pressure than what was previously necessary to experience pain."
Experimental: Low Intensity Exercise; Participants will complete an upper body resistance exercise until they report a low fatigue level.	Other: Positive Expectations Instructional Set; Participants randomly assigned to this instructional set will be told, "You will be completing an intervention known to be effective for some people with shoulder pain. We expect this will make you less sensitive to the pressure applied to your shoulder and thigh and you will require more pressure than what was previously necessary to experience pain."; Other: Negative Expectations Instructional Set; Participants randomly assigned to this instructional set will be told, "You will be completing an intervention which is not effective for some people with shoulder pain. We expect this will make you more sensitive to the pressure applied to your shoulder and thigh and you will require less pressure than what was previously necessary to experience pain."

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pressure Pain Threshold	Pressure Pain Threshold will be applied with a digital algometer before and after the exercise intervention.	Change from baseline immediately after exercise

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Central Florida

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 14, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 19, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): April 19, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 15, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 22, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 22, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 19, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 6

Drug and device information, study documents

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