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The unique and transient impact of acute exercise on pain perception in older, overweight, or obese adults with knee osteoarthritis

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Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

This study examined the unique contribution of acute exercise to perceptions of pain in 32 older, overweight, or obese adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA), statistically controlling for the effect of diurnal variation, supplemental medication intake, and stress. Using an ecological momentary assessment method, 964 pain appraisals were recorded and coded into experience samplings that occurred either on a nonexercise day or before or following scheduled activity on an exercise day. Univariate and multivariate multilevel modeling analyses controlling for supplemental medication intake and stress revealed a quadratic trend in diurnal pain variations with the peak occurring mid-afternoon. Although pain was significantly elevated following exercise in comparison with the predicted diurnal pattern, pain reports later in the day following exercise were significantly lower than immediately following exercise. We conclude that the pain associated with acute exercise by older, overweight, or obese adults who have knee OA is transient. Findings are discussed in terms of the implications of exercise therapy for patients with knee OA.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, Reynolda Station, P.O. Box 7868, 27109, Winston-Salem, NC

    Brian C. Focht Ph.D., Victoria Ewing M.S. & W. Jack Rejeski Ph.D.

  2. University of Montreal, Canada

    Lisa Gauvin Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Brian C. Focht Ph.D.
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  2. Victoria Ewing M.S.
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  3. Lisa Gauvin Ph.D.
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  4. W. Jack Rejeski Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian C. Focht Ph.D..

Additional information

This investigation was supported by grants from the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (P60 AG10484) and the General Clinical Research Center (M01-RR00211) of Wake Forest University.

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Focht, B.C., Ewing, V., Gauvin, L. et al. The unique and transient impact of acute exercise on pain perception in older, overweight, or obese adults with knee osteoarthritis. ann. behav. med. 24, 201–210 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM2403_05

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM2403_05

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