Exercise and Pain Tolerance

A study published in the February 2014 edition of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the official publication of the American College of Sports Medicine is about pain tolerance in individuals who regularly do aerobic exercise. 24 subjects were divided into an aerobic training group (cycling for 30 minutes three times a week at 75% maximum) and a usual activity group for six weeks total. At the end of 6 weeks, those in the moderate-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise training group were better able to tolerate pain. Intuitively this seems about right.