Pain sensitivity following a standardized two-hour cycling session: a randomized controlled crossover Study.

OBJECTIVE: Exercise induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is characterized by an acute reduction in pain perception following exercise. However, lack of knowledge exists regarding the effects of long duration exercise on EIH. This study aims to explore (1) the effect of a 120 min exercise on EIH in trained male cyclists, and (2) whether the potentially observed EIH results differ between local loaded and unloaded central landmarks. METHODS: ]) at local muscular (rectus femoris, tibialis anterior), local articular (knee, ankle), and central landmarks (sternum, forehead). RESULTS: ) values observed: local muscular (exercise: pre=81.0 ± 19.5, post=83.0 ± 18.4, relative change: 4.5 ± 16.6 %; control: pre=85.1 ± 22.9, post=85.3 ± 22.5, relative change: 0.7 ± 10.8 %), local articular (exercise: pre=81.9 ± 21.0, post=80.8 ± 21.5, relative change: -0.7 ± 12.2 %; control: pre=81.7 ± 20.9, post=79.2 ± 23.3, relative change: -3.2 ± 12.8 %), and central (exercise: pre=47.9 ± 13.7, post=45.9 ± 11.7, relative change: -1.1 ± 19.8 %; control: pre=48.8 ± 13.0, post=47.1 ± 13.5, relative change: -3.3 ± 16.1 %). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that long duration exercise of a standardized moderate intensity may not be effective to induce EIH in trained male cyclists, while also no hyperalgesia is observed. These results are not different between loaded and unloaded body parts. ETHICAL COMMITTEE NUMBER: SK/AE 221026 (University of Wuppertal, Germany).