Abstract
The objective of the study is to determine whether higher pain thresholds are associated with better performance in long-distance runners. Seventy participants, divided into groups of fast and non-fast runners according to peak results in a 10km run. Main Outcome Measures, Cold pressor test. Of the 70 participants, 28 were in the fastest group (less than 39 minutes in a 10km run) and 42 in the non-fast group. The faster group was characterized with older age (34.0±8.5 vs. 29.5±5.7, P=0.01), greater mean weekly running time (5.5 [0-17]) vs. 2 [0-10], P<0.001), and more years of running (10 [1.5-34.0] vs. 7 [0-20, P=0.05]). In a multivariable analysis longer cold pressor time was associated with faster 10Km run (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01). It seems that higher pain thresholds play an important role in the superior ability of long distance runners.
Highlights
After setting the world record for women in a marathon run (2:15:25) at the LondonMarathon in 2003, a record that has not yet been broken, Paula Radcliffe was asked what helped her to achieve such an impressive result
The association between physical training and pain perception has been studied mainly by comparing trained and untrained populations. It appears that professional physical training in endurance sports causes a change in pain perception[4] On the other hand, high pain threshold and high pain resistance may lead certain people to take part in this kind of physical activity.[5]
Runners with a result of 39 minutes or less on a 10km run were assigned to the fast group, while those who achieved a result over 39 minutes but less than 50 minutes were assigned to the non-fast group
Summary
Marathon in 2003, a record that has not yet been broken, Paula Radcliffe was asked what helped her to achieve such an impressive result Her answer was that it was in her ability to tolerate pain better and thereby break her own "boundaries" again and again[1]. It has been shown that an individual belonging to an ethnic minority in his country is likely to have higher pain tolerance than other populations in that country. It appears that there is a difference in pain perception between different populations.[6]
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