By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

People who remain physically active over a long period have much greater pain tolerance than those who are sedentary and don’t get much exercise, according to a large new study in Norway.

While exercise has long been touted as a way to ease or even prevent chronic pain, this particular study falls short in actually proving it, which we’ll get to later.

Researchers at University Hospital of North Norway analyzed data from 10,732 adults who participated in a large health survey -- the Tromsø Study --- that is conducted periodically in Norway. The researchers used data from two rounds of the study that were conducted seven years apart, one in 2007-2008 and the other in 2015-2016.

Most of the participants (79%) said they were either sedentary or engaged in only light exercise, while the remainder reported moderate or vigorous activity. About a third of the participants (32%) said they had chronic pain,

Pain tolerance was assessed by how long they could keep a hand immersed in cold water that was a few degrees above freezing (3 degrees Celsius or 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

The study findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, showed that participants who reported vigorous physical activity in either round had significantly more pain tolerance than the couch potatoes who maintained a sedentary lifestyle in both rounds.

The good news for couch potatoes is that pain tolerance can be improved. As the chart below demonstrates, people who boosted their physical activity (PA) over time were able to keep their hands in cold water for longer periods, suggesting they have more pain tolerance.

“In summary, these findings suggest that becoming or remaining active at a level above being sedentary, or making a positive change in activity level, over time is associated with higher pain tolerance as opposed to being sedentary or making a negative change,” researchers reported. “Whatever you do, the most important thing is that you do something!”

Interestingly, having chronic pain did not influence the findings one way or another. Researchers found that chronic pain “does not significantly interfere” with the relationship between physical activity and pain tolerance. However, they were hesitant to draw a conclusion from that, saying the findings “might look different” if pain conditions were broken down into different diagnostic groups, instead of under one broad term under the label “chronic pain.”      

Even moderate physical activity is known to stimulate the production of endocannabinoids – cannabis-like substances naturally produced by the body -- which can relieve pain and inflammation. Regular exercise can also help us lose weight, reduce the risk of heart disease, and boost overall health.