Pain Cognition of the Injury Experienced Athletes Depends on Emotional Status

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study aimed to verify whether the degree of pain cognition by injury-experienced athletes in a sports setting varies depending on their emotional status, and to compare the values between the VAS (subjective pain score) and RIII reflex (objective pain data).METHODS: Injured (n=15) and non-injured (n=15) experienced athletes participated in the experimental procedures with pain stimulation, RIII reflex, and VAS measurement, while emotional images (neutral, pleasure, and unpleasure) were randomly presented. The RIII reflex was measured simultaneously with TENS stimulation of the sural nerve while the OASIS images were presented, and the VAS was measured between the sets of images. Data were collected using electromyography (EMG) and VAS.RESULTS: The relationship between the group and the VAS score according to the emotional state was significant (<i>p</i>=.028), and the relationship between the group and the RIII reflex depending on the emotional state was not significant (<i>p</i>=.344). Furthermore, the relationship of the group “emotion” measurement was not significant (<i>p</i>=.081), but the results indicate toward a correlation.CONCLUSIONS: Athletes recognized more pain at the same intensity when their emotional state was unpleasant, but the RIII reflex was measured constantly so they could recognize less pain in an emotionally stable state. Despite some associations, no difference was observed in the degree of pain recognition based on injury experience.