Comparison of the pain parameters of young and middle-aged athletes with sedentary persons

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the various parameters to a painful stimulus before and after acute exercise in middle-aged athletic individuals with sedentary individuals of similar age and young athletes. Methods: Sixty-six participants were assigned to one of the following groups according to age and athletic background as young-sedentary (Y-Sed), young athletes (Y-Ath), middle-aged sedentary (M-Sed), or middle-aged athletic (M-Ath) groups. Young and middle-aged groups were aged between 18-29 and 30-55 years, respectively. Anthropometrics, heart rate, blood pressure, physical performance parameters and also pain intensity threshold (PPT) and pain tolerance (PPT) measurements, cold pressor test and parameters of nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) at rest and following acute exercise were recorded from all participants. Acute exercise was applied as biceps curl by using dumbells with an intensity of 70% of 1 RM. The exercise session was performed in three sets in 10 reps each set with 1 min rest between the sets. Results are presented as mean+SD, analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences among groups and measurements. A level of p<0.05 was set as statistical significance. Results: M-Sed group had a higher percentage of body fat in comparison with the Y-Sed and Y-Ath groups, and M-Ath group had lower body fat percentage in comparison with the M-Sed group. Heart rate was found to be lowered in the Y-Ath and M-Ath groups in comparison with the Y-Sed and M-Sed groups. Vertical jump height and peak power results were lower in the M-Sed group in comparison with Y-Sed and Y-Ath groups. Flexibility score of Y-Ath and M-Ath groups were higher in comparison with the Y-Sed group. Aerobic capacity of Y-Ath and M-Ath groups were higher than Y-Sed and M-Sed groups. Pre-exercise PPT values of M-Ath group were lower than Y-Ath group. PPT values in M-Ath group were increased following acute exercise. PPTO values in Y-Ath group were decreased following exercise. Cold pressor time was found to be increased in three groups. In the 3 groups out of the G-Sed group, cold pressor time was increased after exercise. There were no differences among groups on NFR parameters. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study showed that there are several differences in physical performance parameters and pain parameters with different stimulus modalities in young and middle-aged sedentary and athletic persons. Keywords: master athletes, nociception, exercise, pain, age