Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Pain Modulation in Healthy Adults

Part of paid clinical trials in El Paso, Texas.

Sponsor
University of Texas, El Paso
Study ID
NCT07083219
Status
Enrolling By Invitation

Conditions

  • Healthy Adult

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 50 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Aerobic High Intensity Interval Training — BEHAVIORAL
    HIIT Protocol (Individualization of Exercise Program): Peak power will be calculated with Graded Exercise Test (GXT), with 90% of peak power used as the target range for the intervention. Total Training Time: 35 minutes. Warm-Up Phase: 1. Duration: 10 minutes 2. Intensity: 40-50% of peak power HIIT Work and Rest Cycles: Each session includes 20 minutes of intervals with the following pattern: Work: 1 minute at 90% of peak power Rest: 3 minutes at 40% of peak power Repeat for five cycles. 5 minute cool down at 40% of peak power Monitoring: VO₂ and heart rate will be continuously measured. Lactate levels will be measured at the following points: 1. Before the warm-up 2. After completing the warm-up (1st-minute intervention) 3. During the second minute of each rest period

Study Details

Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia (EIH) refers to reduced pain sensitivity following exercise, particularly in response to noxious stimuli. Various exercise modalities, including isometric, aerobic, and resistance training, contribute to this effect. Pain experienced during exercise may activate descending inhibitory pathways, leading to subsequent pain relief. Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) is a behavioral measure of diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC), where pain inhibits pain. It is proposed that pain within the exercising limb may serve as a conditioning stimulus, activating CPM. For instance, maximal handgrip exercise has been used to trigger CPM responses. In clinical settings, unpleasant physical therapy interventions like exercise, thermal modalities, and electrical stimulation may function through CPM mechanisms. CPM predicts EIH in both young and older adults, with painful exercise reducing pressure pain ratings across age groups. Isometric exercise has also been shown to decrease CPM in individuals with systemic EIH, suggesting shared mechanisms. Athletes exhibit higher pain thresholds and tolerance due to repeated exposure to high-intensity exercise. However, they demonstrate lower CPM activation, possibly as a compensatory response to chronic noxious input. This raises the question: Can repeated high-intensity aerobic exercise, perceived as painful, train the nervous system to enhance descending pain inhibition in non-athletes? While alterations in pain sensitivity related to analgesic-induced pain inhibition have been documented, the effects of continuous stimulation of central pain pathways via painful high intensity exercise, along with the mediating influence of psychosocial factors, remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate the central pain modulatory mechanisms (measured by QST) that have differential changes in participants who receive multiple sessions of high intensity aerobic exercise as an intervention compared to receiving single session. Additionally, the study will evaluate the impact of sociocultural factors, including optimism, pain catastrophizing, and marginalization on alterations in pain sensitivity.

Key Dates

Start date
Aug 15, 2025
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Jul 31, 2026
Completion
Dec 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Multiple Exercise Session Group (MES)
    Participants will undergo six sessions, including four sessions of aerobic exercise intervention with QST assessed during each session and questionnaires completed during the first and fifth sessions. Participants will attend six sessions over two weeks (approximately every 48-72 hours).
  • Active Comparator: Single Exercise Session Group (SES)
    Participants will undergo three sessions, including one aerobic exercise intervention session with QST, and questionnaires assessed during both sessions. Participants will attend three sessions, with the second session approximately two weeks after the first. Each visit will last between 1 to 1.5 hours.
  • No Intervention: No Exercise Session (NES)
    Participants will undergo two sessions without any exercise intervention, with QST assessed and questionnaires completed during both sessions.

Primary Outcome Measure

Static QST Measure [ Time Frame: 2 weeks ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Science, University of Texas at El PasoEl PasoTexas79902-

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By research site
Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Science, University of Texas at El Paso· El Paso, TX

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