• Sophie Van Oosterwijck, Mira Meeus, Jacob van Der Wekken, Evy Dhondt, Amber Billens, and Jessica Van Oosterwijck.
• Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Pain in Motion International Research Group (www.paininmotion.be); Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium.
• J Pain. 2024 Nov 1; 25 (11): 104639104639.

AbstractEven in healthy populations, conditioned pain modulation (CPM) magnitude varies. This may be accounted for by (non-)modifiable factors, including physical activity (PA). Yet, little research has thoroughly examined PA and its relation with CPM magnitude in a representative sample. Therefore, the present study investigated the predictive effect of PA on CPM magnitude in 105 healthy adults. PA was assessed during 7 consecutive days by self-report using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and by monitor-based accelerometry. CPM was examined using a heterotopic noxious-conditioning stimulation protocol during which the effect of a hot water-conditioning stimulus on pressure pain thresholds was evaluated. Comparative, correlation, and hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed. Report-based walking predicts 4.8% of variance in pain-modulatory capacity, moderate PA predicts 10.2% of variance in pain-modulatory capacity, and report-based time spent on total PA predicts 7.0% of variance in pain-modulatory capacity. More metabolic equivalent-minutes/week spent on total PA, including walking and moderate PA, is associated with greater pain-modulatory capacity. The findings of this study add to the limited evidence on the predictive effect of PA on CPM. It urges to consider PA a confounding factor when examining CPM. The current study provides evidence that a physically active lifestyle benefits endogenous pain modulation in healthy adults. Given its potential, walking and moderate-intensity PA might be achievable treatment strategies for pain patients known to have impaired CPM. PERSPECTIVE: The results of this article show that a physically active lifestyle, including larger amounts of walking and moderate activity, predicts greater pain-modulatory capacity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has not been preregistered.Copyright © 2024 United States Association for the Study of Pain, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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