Keywords

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia, pain management, resistance exercise, electromyography, near-infrared spectroscopy, heart rate variability

Abstract

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is the reduction in pain sensitivity following exercise. High-intensity or prolonged exercise is typically required to elicit an EIH response, but there is limited evidence suggesting that low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (LL+BFR) may be able to elicit a robust EIH response. The purpose of these investigations was to assess the magnitude, duration, and proposed mechanisms of EIH following LL+BFR, LL with normobaric systemic hypoxemia, BFR only without exercise, high-load exercise, and a control intervention. The first study evaluated local and systemic pain pressure threshold and tolerance responses one-hour post-exercise. The results indicated that LL+BFR induced similar EIH responses to high-load resistance exercise 0- and 15-minutes post-exercise but only LL+BFR elicited an EIH response present 60-minutes post-exercise. The second study evaluated neuromuscular and perceptual responses, both proposed EIH mechanisms, during exercise. Similar neuromuscular responses were observed in all interventions. Participants reported higher ratings of perceived exertion during LL+BFR and high-load exercise, and higher levels of perceived pain during LL+BFR. These results suggested that despite high levels of motor unit recruitment, there were divergent EIH responses. However, increased pain during exercise may be a mediating factor of EIH after resistance exercise. The third study evaluated peripheral and central cardiovascular responses, which have also been hypothesized to mediate EIH. LL+BFR resulted in greater increases in systolic blood pressure during the first set of exercise, and diastolic blood pressure during all sets of exercise. LL+BFR and BFR only attenuated changes in heart rate variability (HRV). LL+BFR induced the largest increase in deoxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin and lowered tissue saturation index. BFR only progressively increased oxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin levels. The local and systemic cardiovascular responses suggested that prolonged EIH following LL+BFR could be related to increased central or peripheral cardiovascular stress.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Hill. Ethan

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Health Professions and Sciences

Department

School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences

Degree Program

Kinesiology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

DP0028622

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028622

Language

English

Rights

In copyright

Release Date

8-15-2029

Length of Campus-only Access

5 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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Restricted to the UCF community until 8-15-2029; it will then be open access.

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