Athletes can withstand more pain than those who do not exercise, a recent study says.

German researchers reviewed 15 previous studies on athletes and pain to find that although athletes feel pain to a similar degree to non-athletes, their pain tolerance -- the point when pain becomes unbearable -- is higher.

The study also found that pain tolerance levels varied according to the type of sport. For example, endurance athletes who participate in prolonged athletics showed moderate pain tolerance while football players and cross-country skiers had high pain endurance levels.

Experts predict the findings may prove useful in pain management.

“Studies in athletes offer the opportunity for an evaluation of the physical and psychological effects of regular activity on pain perception, which might foster the development of effective types of exercise for relief in pain patients,” said study author Jonas Tesarz of the University of Heidelberg.

The results of the research was published in the June issue of the journal Pain.


By Sim Guk-by
Intern Reporter

(simgukby@heraldcorp.com)