A study published by researchers from a northern Norwegian medical center finds that keeping active can alter the way the brain processes pain. In this large, community-based study, adults who engage in regular physical activity reported higher pain tolerance than those with lower activity levels. The researchers hope these findings could contribute to reducing everyday reliance on pain medicines for common issues such as headaches and back discomfort.
The study surveyed more than ten thousand participants, asking each person to classify their typical physical activity over the past year. After completing the survey, participants immersed their hands in ice water for as long as they could to test how long they could tolerate the cold stimulus. This ice-water test is a standard measure used to gauge pain tolerance in diverse populations.
The results showed a clear pattern. Volunteers who exercised several times weekly could keep their hands submerged for markedly longer periods than those who were sedentary. Specifically, those in the active group held on about sixteen seconds longer than their least active peers, while the light activity group managed about seven seconds longer. This dose-response pattern suggests that increasing activity levels corresponds with higher pain tolerance in a measurable way.
Experts note that physical activity may influence brain pathways that are also targeted by pain-relief medications. While exercise does not produce the same strong effect as pharmaceutical painkillers, it appears to provide a natural, supplementary way to modulate pain signals. The authors emphasize that even modest increases in activity can contribute to reduced perceived pain in daily life, offering a potential strategy for managing routine discomfort without immediate resort to drugs. This aligns with broader research indicating that movement can play a meaningful role in pain management and overall well-being. Attribution: PLOS ONE study