» Articles » PMID: 22607985

Pain Perception in Athletes Compared to Normally Active Controls: a Systematic Review with Meta-analysis

Overview
Journal Pain
Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry
Date 2012 May 22
PMID 22607985
Citations 76
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

This study systematically reviewed differences in pain perception between athletes and normally active controls. We screened MEDLINE, Sport-Discus, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, and the citations of original studies and systematic reviews. All studies on experimentally induced pain that compared pain perception between athletes and normally active controls were eligible. The main outcome measures were pain tolerance and pain threshold. Effects are described as standardized mean differences and were pooled using random-effects models. Fifteen studies including 899 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Twelve of these studies assessed pain tolerance, and 9 studies examined pain threshold. A meta-analysis of these studies revealed that athletes possessed higher pain tolerance compared to normally active controls (effect size calculated as Hedges' g=0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI(95)] 0.53-1.21; P<0.00001), whereas available data on pain threshold were less uniform (Hedges' g=0.69, CI(95) 0.16-1.21; P=0.01). After exclusion of studies with high risk of bias, differences between groups in pain threshold were not significant any longer. Our data suggest that regular physical activity is associated with specific alterations in pain perception. Psychological and biological factors that may be responsible for these alterations are discussed.

Citing Articles

Investigation of exercise-related leg pain, fear of pain, kinesiophobia, and injury anxiety in athletes.

Bingol E, Tiryaki K, Tumturk I, Ozden F BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025; 17(1):40.

PMID: 40050954 PMC: 11884190. DOI: 10.1186/s13102-025-01079-5.


Comparing the Effects of Collagen Hydrolysate and Dairy Protein on Recovery from Eccentric Exercise: A Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Barclay R, Coad J, Schraders K, Barnes M Nutrients. 2025; 16(24.

PMID: 39771010 PMC: 11678417. DOI: 10.3390/nu16244389.


Methodological Variation Among Studies Evaluating Pain Processing in Tendinopathy: A Scoping Review.

Jayaseelan D, Post A, Sault J, Mischke J J Clin Med. 2025; 13(24).

PMID: 39768515 PMC: 11677147. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13247592.


Effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing-EMDR Method in Patients with Chronic Subjective Tinnitus.

Bal F, Kiris M Brain Sci. 2024; 14(9).

PMID: 39335413 PMC: 11429632. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14090918.


How can the pain sensitivity to be affected by maximal progressive exercise test during pregnancy?.

Leznicka K, Gasiorowska A, Pawlak M, Jazdzewska A, Maciejewska-Skrendo A, Lubkowska A PLoS One. 2024; 19(8):e0300058.

PMID: 39110708 PMC: 11305572. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300058.