Exercise and Alterations in Pain Sensitivity
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Knee Pain
- Sponsor
- Henning Bliddal
- Enrollment
- 33
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in pressure pain sensitivity
- Status
- Terminated
- Last Updated
- 13 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
There is ample evidence that exercise therapy is beneficial with respect to pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. However, the pain relieving mechanisms are unknown. To enhance the efficacy of exercise therapy a deeper understanding of the involved mechanisms is needed.
Different exercise types may affect the pain sensitivity differently. It is hypothesized that non-specific exercises (i.e. exercises that does not involve the knee) reduces the processing of pain in the central nervous system (central sensitivity) to knee joint pain in healthy subjects. It is also hypothesized that exercises that involve the knee (i.e. specific knee exercises) reduce the sensitivity of pain receptors in the knee (peripheral sensitivity) in healthy subjects.
Healthy volunteers are recruited and randomised to one of four interventions: 1: Muscle strengthening exercises involving the thigh muscles; 2: Muscle strengthening exercises involving the shoulder muscles; 3: Cardio-vascular fitness exercises; or 4: Control (no exercises). The active interventions include exercises three times per week for 12 weeks. Pain sensitivity and a range of explanatory variables is measured before the interventions, after 4 weeks and after 12 weeks.
Investigators
Henning Bliddal
Professor
Frederiksberg University Hospital
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Age between 18 and 35 years
- •Untrained (i.e. less than 2 hours of organised exercise per week in the last 6 months - physical activity related to transportation (e.g. bicycling) is not included)
- •Generally healthy according a medical exam at screening, history
- •Willing and able to participate in all measurements
- •Willing and able to attend all training sessions
- •Willing to keep the habitual activity and amount of training constant (ie screening activity and training volume).
- •20 ≤ body mass index (BMI) ≤ 28 kg/m2
- •Speak, read and write Danish
Exclusion Criteria
- •Pregnant or breastfeeding
- •Current or previous symptoms of autoimmune disease (eg, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis)
- •Planned surgery during the study period
- •Current or former musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses, including but not confined to:
- •Ligament Injuries
- •Meniscus Injuries
- •Osteoarthritis
- •Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- •Neck pain
- •tendinopathy
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in pressure pain sensitivity
Time Frame: Baseline, and after 12 weeks of exercise
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in muscle strength(baseline and after 12 weeks)
- Change in cardiovascular fitness(baseline after 4 weeks and after 12 weeks)
- Change in baroreflex sensitivity(baseline after 4 weeks and after 12 weeks)