• Morten Pallisgaard Støve, Line Ørum Hansen, Kristian Kloppenborg Elmbæk, Stig Peter Magnusson, Janus Laust Thomsen, and Allan Riis.
• Department of Physiotherapy, University College of Northern Denmark (UCN) Selma Lagerløfs Vej 2, Aalborg, Denmark.
• Eur J Pain. 2024 Oct 26.

BackgroundStretching exercises have effects on local and widespread pain sensitivity. A dose-response relationship may exist between the analgesic effect and the intensity of stretching, such that a higher intensity of stretching may generate a larger reduction in analgesic response, but this remains to be studied. This study aimed to examine the dose-response relationship between stretching intensity and the analgesic effect.MethodsA randomized, repeated-measures crossover study was performed to examine the effect of stretching to the first point of pain onset and stretching to the point of a sensation of stretching (discomfort). The primary outcome was regional and distant pressure pain thresholds.ResultsThirty-one participants (n = 24 female) were available for analysis. We observed a 22.2% increase in regional pressure pain thresholds (93.2 kPa, p = 0.001) and a 15.0% increase in distant pressure pain thresholds (50.9 kPa, p = 0.012) following stretching to the point of stretch. We observed a 20.0% increase in regional pressure pain thresholds (90.3 kPa, p = 0.001) and a 15.1% increase in distant pressure pain thresholds (52.1 kPa, p = 0.004) following stretching to the point of pain.ConclusionsThe results showed that local and widespread pain sensitivity decreased following acute stretching, regardless of stretching intensity. No differences in pain sensitivity were found between stretching to the point of stretch or stretching to the first onset of pain. Thus, the results showed no evidence of a dose-response relationship between stretching intensity and the analgesic effect.SignificanceThe study showed a significant acute hypoalgesic effect of stretching exercises regardless of stretching intensity. This may have appropriate clinical implications for patients with musculoskeletal and nociplastic pain.© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation ‐ EFIC ®.

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