Pain in Aging Former Athletes, Master's Athletes, and Nonathletes

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine how male and female former athletes experience pain and respond to moderate-intensity exercise (strength versus aerobic) compared with both current master's athletes and nonathletes.

The main questions this study aims to address are:

1. How do former athletes, master's athletes, and nonathletes experience pain?
2. How do different types of moderate-intensity exercise (strength versus aerobic exercise) influence pain in former athletes, master's athletes, and nonathletes?

Participants will complete 3 different testing sessions:

1. Baseline testing including assessments of strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and pain;
2. Strength exercise: pain assessments will occur before and after moderate-intensity strength training exercise;
3. Aerobic exercise: pain assessments will occur before and after moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.

There will be a washout period of approximately one week or greater between each of the three different testing sessions. The order of conditions (strength versus aerobic exercise) will be randomized (crossover randomized trial design).

Conditions

• Pain
• Pain Management
• Athlete
• Exercise Training
• Sports Medicine
• Strength Training Effects
• Aerobic Exercise
• Strength Training
• Aging
• Quality of Life
• Sports

Interventions

OTHER

Moderate-Intensity Strength Exercise Intervention

Participants will perform 10 isometric knee extension repetitions unilaterally on both sides separately for 10 seconds with each repetition at 50% of their maximal volitional contraction (MVC) on an electromechanical dynamometer. Participants will be provided 50 seconds rest in between repetitions. Numeric pain intensity ratings (0-10) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded before, during, and following exercise. Quantitative Sensory Testing (i.e., PPTs and TSP) will be assessed before and after the exercise intervention. If there is a more affected limb with regards to pain, the less affected limb will be exercised first. If there is not a more affected limb, side will be randomized. A warm up will be performed prior to the intervention.

OTHER

Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Intervention

Participants will complete aerobic exercise at 40-59% of their heart rate reserve (HRR) through the mode of incline walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes with a 2 -minute warm up and 2-minute cool down with a target intensity of \~50% HRR. Adjustments will be made to the incline and speed throughout the intervention as needed to maintain 40-59% HRR range. Numeric pain intensity ratings (0-10) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded before, during, and following exercise. Quantitative Sensory Testing (i.e., PPTs and TSP) will be assessed before and after the exercise intervention. Heart rate will be measured throughout the walking intervention to ensure the participant is within the targeted range for moderate intensity; pre- and post-aerobic intervention heart rate and blood pressure will be taken.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marquette University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jacob J Capin, DPT, PhD · Marquette University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

35 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-03-02

Primary Completion

2028-05-31

Completion

2028-05-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations