A new study published today says that “becoming or staying physically active over time can benefit your pain tolerance.”

The latest analysis of over 10,000 adults provides robust evidence supporting the positive relationship between physical activity and pain tolerance.

The study, led by Anders Årnes and his team at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø, revealed that individuals who engaged in regular physical activity demonstrated higher pain tolerance compared to their sedentary counterparts.

The research was published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE today.

Furthermore, the findings indicated that individuals with higher levels of physical activity exhibited an even greater pain tolerance.

While previous studies have hinted at the potential benefits of maintaining an active lifestyle in relation to chronic pain management, most of these investigations have been limited in scale or focused on specific population groups. Therefore, this comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the broader population regarding the potential impact of physical activity on pain tolerance.

In order to provide greater clarity regarding the connection between physical activity and pain tolerance, Årnes and colleagues conducted an analysis utilizing data from the Tromsø Study, a large-scale population survey carried out periodically in Norway. The study involved 10,732 Norwegian adults who participated in two rounds of data collection, one spanning from 2007 to 2008 and the other from 2015 to 2016. The researchers examined the participants’ self-reported levels of physical activity and their pain tolerance, which was assessed through a test involving immersing their hand in cold water.

Upon performing statistical analysis of the gathered data, the researchers discovered that individuals who reported being physically active in either round of the Tromsø Study exhibited higher pain tolerance compared to those who reported leading a sedentary lifestyle during both rounds. Furthermore, participants with greater overall levels of physical activity displayed increased pain tolerance, while individuals who exhibited higher activity levels in 2015/2016 as opposed to 2007/2008 demonstrated an elevated overall pain tolerance.

While the analysis did not establish a statistically significant relationship between activity level and changes in pain tolerance between the two rounds of the study, it nevertheless suggests that maintaining physical activity, initiating physical activity, or increasing one’s activity levels is associated with higher pain tolerance.

Based on their findings, the researchers propose that enhancing physical activity could serve as a potential strategy for alleviating or preventing chronic pain.

Subsequent research endeavors could further validate whether a cause-and-effect relationship indeed exists between activity and pain tolerance, and explore potential therapeutic applications stemming from this connection.

“Becoming or staying physically active over time can benefit your pain tolerance,” write the authors, adding, “Whatever you do, the most important thing is that you do something!”

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