Pain & Physical Activity

Page 1 2

Pain
Endorphins
Physical Deconditioning

Pain

Pain is a feeling that arises from injured or damaged body tissues. Special nerve endings convert the injury into pain sensations. These sensations are then transmitted up nerves along the spinal cord. From the spinal cord they are sent to various parts of the brain. Pain is a different feeling for each person, with perception of pain varying and affected by age, physical inactivity, existing medical conditions, and a whole range of other factors. Many people with long standing pain become inactive and don't do much exercise. Unfortunately, low activity levels lead to muscles becoming weak and wasting away, joint stiffness, weight gain and low mood. These factors can all contribute to worsening pain. There are many benefits of regular physical activity in reducing pain. Increased activity levels release endorphins (the body's own pain reducing substance).

Endorphins

Endorphins are a class of chemicals produced in the nervous system, which act to turn on the pain inhibitory system and help 'numb' pain. Endorphins act on receptor sites on special nerve cells located in the brain. These receptor sites function like a lock to which endorphins are the key. When lock and key are put together, the pain inhibitory system is turned on. Morphine, codeine and heroin have a similar structure to endorphins and can also act as keys and turn the lock.

Physical Deconditioning

The human body is designed for movement and a lifestyle lacking exercise and physical activity has been linked to increased pain, illness and premature death. Results of prolonged physical inactivity include:

Muscle wasting and weakness
Joint stiffening
Loss of calcium from the bone and increased brittleness of bones. These people are more likely to develop osteoporosis and possibly break bones.
Loss of red blood cells.
Decreased resistance to infection.
Increased body fat and development of obesity.

Page 1 2