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Sports, physical activity and headache in the classical age: historical descriptions from the first sports textbook, “De arte gymnastica”, by Girolamo Mercuriale

  • History of Neurology
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Abstract

Background and objectives

The relationship between physical activity, sports and headache presents a growing interest, testified by numerous papers recently published. The correlation between headache and sporting activities or physical exercise dates back to the classical age. We aim at promoting the development of more studies focused on the relationship between headache and physical activity.

Methods

We analysed the book “De arte gymnastica”, written by Girolamo Mercuriale (Forlì, Italy, 1530–1606), and considered the first “sports medical textbook”. We discuss these classical literature findings in the light of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition.

Results

The Author’s work derives from the systematic revision of Greek, Roman and Arabic literatures about the matter. Despite some references to inveterate headaches or cold-related pains, Mercuriale does not gather specific clinical characterisations of different types of headache. However, interestingly, he reports detailed descriptions of how the same sport, or the same physical activity, could cause or give relief from head pain, depending on the precise way of practising. Mercuriale summarises 18 sports or physical activities that can give relief from headache; conversely, running or heavy activities, such as boxing, appear among the 12 contraindicated sports for people suffering from headache.

Conclusions

“De arte gymnastica”, by Girolamo Mercuriale, is the first textbook on sports medicine. Headache if often cited along the treatise: different sports and physical activities, or various ways of practising the same action could produce opposite effects for people suffering from headache.

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Abbreviations

CSF:

Cerebrospinal fluid

ICHD3:

International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3d edition

TMD:

Temporomandibular disorder

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Headache Centre. Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy

    Alberto Terrin, Giorgio Zanchin & Ferdinando Maggioni

  2. Department of Neurosciences, Neurological Clinic, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padua, Italy

    Alberto Terrin

  3. Headache Centre, Hospital SS. Giovanni and Paolo, Venice, Italy

    Federico Mainardi

Authors
  1. Alberto Terrin
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  2. Federico Mainardi
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  3. Giorgio Zanchin
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  4. Ferdinando Maggioni
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Correspondence to Alberto Terrin.

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Terrin, A., Mainardi, F., Zanchin, G. et al. Sports, physical activity and headache in the classical age: historical descriptions from the first sports textbook, “De arte gymnastica”, by Girolamo Mercuriale. Neurol Sci 40, 1507–1517 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3657-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3657-y

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