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Running is an experience that can be hard on the body, and if you haven’t run in a long time, you know that it can result in you being sore pretty much everywhere.
But strangely enough, running is often suggested as a way to manage chronic pain.
There isn’t really a clear answer to why exercise does reduce pain in chronic pain patients, but there are definitely some ideas. Several studies have been done on it, and they've found two strong possible reasons.
The first is that the endorphins, which is the brain’s version of morphine, and the endocannabinoids, which are the brain’s version of cannabis, are activated in the brain when you exercise, creating that “runner’s high” that everyone talks about. But in new studies, it seems like the endorphins don’t matter when it comes to decreasing your pain—it’s the endocannabinoids.
The second is the idea that “pain inhibits pain.” This is an idea that sounds a lot worse than it really is. Basically it means that if you’re already in pain, your body will reduce its pain reception, so if you run while you’re in pain, adding that other discomfort, both forms of pain will feel less intense.
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Weird, right? This phenomenon is called “conditioned pain modulation,” and it’s a big factor in the way that exercise helps chronic pain. Unfortunately, this effect only seems to really work when you’re performing high-intensity exercise. The exercise tried moderate-intensity exercise, and it didn’t appear to help the CPM all that much.
So if you are a sufferer of chronic pain, ask your doctor if they think that running will help you. In the meantime, take comfort. All that suffering you do in the name of running is worth it!
Do you use running to manage your pain?
Photo Copyright © 2015 Jake Stimpson/Flickr
