Exposure to contact sports results in maintained performance during experimental pain
Journal article
Authors | Thornton, C, Sheffield, D and Baird, A |
---|---|
Abstract | During pain, motor performance tends to decline. However, athletes who engage in contact sports are able to maintain performance despite the inherent pain that accompanies participation. This may be the result of being challenged rather than threatened by pain; adaptive coping strategies; habituation to pain; or finding pain less bothersome. This study aimed to measure performance of a novel motor task both in pain and not in pain within experienced contact athletes (n = 40), novice contact athletes (n = 40) and non-contact athletes (n = 40). Challenge and threat perceptions were manipulated during the pain condition and measures of pain tolerance, perception, coping styles and bothersomeness were taken. Results indicated that contact athletes, regardless of experience, were able to maintain their performance during painful stimulation. Non-contact athletes, conversely, performed significantly worse during pain stimulation. In addition, contact athletes tended to be more challenged and the non-contact athletes more threatened within the pain condition. Experienced contact athletes demonstrated higher levels of pain tolerance and direct coping, and reported lower levels of pain bothersomeness and intensity than the other groups. The results suggest that even relatively brief exposure to contact sports may be enough to help maintain performance in pain. Being in a challenged state appears to be an important factor during performance in pain. Moreover, pain tolerance, intensity and bothersomeness may differentiate novice and experienced athletes.PerspectiveExposure to voluntary pain and challenge states are associated with adaptive responses to pain. Motor task performance may be maintained in individuals with more experience of sports-related pain. |
Keywords | athletes; challenge; coping |
Year | 2020 |
Journal | The Journal of Pain |
Publisher | Elsevier |
ISSN | 15265900 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2020.03.008 |
Web address (URL) | http://hdl.handle.net/10545/624971 |
hdl:10545/624971 | |
Publication dates | 26 Jun 2020 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 09 Jul 2020, 15:38 |
Accepted | 25 Mar 2020 |
Rights | © Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of United States Association for the Study of Pain, Inc. |
Contributors | Northumbria University and University of Derby |
File | File Access Level Open |
https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/92868/exposure-to-contact-sports-results-in-maintained-performance-during-experimental-pain
Download files
277
total views0
total downloads4
views this month0
downloads this month