Gentler exercise linked to greater pain relief

A broad analysis found that exercise was associated with less pain than inactivity across numerous health conditions. Researchers combined 157 systematic reviews, representing 2,736 randomized trials and over 221,000 participants. The evidence included muscle and joint pain, migraine and other headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, discomfort related to cancer, and pain accompanying pregnancy or menopause.

No single activity stood above the rest. Pain reductions were linked with walking and other aerobic movement, resistance exercise, yoga, Pilates and tai chi. Less intense routines produced greater reductions than programs requiring moderate or vigorous effort. Larger benefits were also associated with programs under 12 weeks and weekly exercise totals below 120 minutes. How often people exercised made little difference: once or twice per week performed similarly to three or more sessions.

The researchers cautioned that these patterns do not prove smaller amounts of exercise are inherently more effective. Differences in participation may partly account for the results. Studies often supplied supervision or organized routines, and activity could decline after that support ended. Possible biological pathways include endorphin release, altered brain chemicals involved in mood and pain, changes in inflammation, and effects on the endocannabinoid system. Because the reviews varied in quality, the overall evidence was rated moderate. Even so, results were generally consistent across the exercise styles and pain conditions examined.