Abstract
An acute bout of moderate to vigorous exercise temporarily reduces pain sensitivity in healthy adults, a phenomenon termed exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Recently, active gaming (AG), which allows an individual to be physically active during video game play, has been rising in popularity as a means of light to moderate exercise. While evidence has shown that AG elicits positive cardiovascular and balance outcomes, no research has investigated active gaming as a modifier of pain. PURPOSE: To determine whether an acute bout of active gaming increases pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in healthy adults. METHODS: Thirteen subjects (Age=23±5 years) were tested for pressure pain thresholds at the upper trapezius and forearm immediately before and after a 15-minute AG session or control session. Subjects played 4 different active games on separate days, including two different boxing games and two different tennis games. Heart rate was measured during game play. PPTs for the forearm and trapezius were analyzed with 2(time) X 5 (session) repeated measures ANOVA. Bivariate correlations examined the relationship between average percentage of Heart Rate Reserve (HRR%) during game play and magnitude of EIH (pre-post). RESULTS: Average HRR% for each game was: Boxing1=46.5±13, Tennis1 = 22.9±11, Boxing2= 45.5±16, Tennis2=20.1±9. The analysis revealed a significant Time x Session interaction for the PPTs at the forearm (p<.001) and trapezius (p=.014). PPTs significantly decreased from the pre to posttest for the control session (pre=3.75±.32, post=3.3±.23), but significantly increased from pre to post during the Boxing1 session (pre=3.58±.45, post=3.9±.39). PPTs at the trapezius significantly increased from pre to post during the Boxing1 (pre=3.35±.4, post= 3.7±.45) and Boxing2 (pre=3.7±.4, post 4.1±.5) sessions. EIH at the trapezius and forearm was significantly correlated with average HRR% (trapezius r=.33, forearm r=.28). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that an active gaming session played at a moderate intensity is capable of temporarily reducing pain sensitivity.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
