Exercise pain and alexithymia: exploring the relationship

Alexithymia, a psychological trait characterized by impaired emotional awareness and regulation, has been linked to altered pain perception and emotional processing. Despite its established role in chronic pain and psychological disorders, little is known about its influence on exercise-induced pain. To investigate the relationship between alexithymia and exercise-induced pain perception, differences in pain intensity, perceived exertion, heart rate, and task endurance were measured during isometric exercise in alexithymic and control participants. Sixty participants were categorized into alexithymic and control groups based on the Alexithymia Scale. Participants performed an isometric contraction task, holding a mass of 20% of their one-repetition maximum (1RM) at a 90° elbow flexion for as long as they could, during which pain intensity, perceived exertion, and heart rate were recorded. Statistical analyses, including MANOVAs and correlation analyses, evaluated the effects of alexithymia on these outcomes. Alexithymic participants reported significantly higher pain intensity compared to controls across all time points. However, no significant differences were found between groups for perceived exertion, heart rate, or task endurance. These findings suggest that exercise-induced pain is increased in alexithymia, but without limiting muscular endurance. Targeted pain management interventions focusing on emotional processing deficits may benefit individuals with alexithymia. Future research should explore adaptive mechanisms over prolonged exposure and the development of tailored therapeutic interventions to improve emotional resilience and quality of life. This study is the first to demonstrate that alexithymia is associated with heightened pain perception during exercise, independent of exercise intensity and physiological response. These findings offer novel insights into the interplay between emotional processing and pain sensitivity, highlighting the need for targeted pain management interventions in alexithymic individuals. The results have potential implications for both psychological and physical rehabilitation strategies, improving therapeutic approaches for populations with emotional processing deficits.