A new study from Adelaide University suggests that specific exercise programs can reduce pain effectively, often outperforming common medications.
Key facts
- •The study analyzed 2,736 randomized controlled trials involving over 220,000 participants.
- •Exercise reduced pain by approximately 1.1 points on a zero-to-10 scale.
- •Shorter, lower-intensity exercise programs were more effective than longer or more vigorous ones.
- •The researchers noted that exercise is not a universal solution and its effectiveness depends on individual factors like fitness levels and the underlying condition.
- •Exercise is currently not a routine part of pain care and is often recommended only as general advice to 'stay active'.
A study by Adelaide University, which analyzed 157 systematic reviews and over 220,000 participants, indicates that exercise can significantly reduce both acute and chronic pain. Researchers found that exercise can provide pain relief roughly 60% greater than that reported for common medications in separate chronic pain trials.
By the numbers
Optimal Exercise Intensity and Duration
The research suggests that more exercise is not necessarily better for pain management. Programs of lower intensity and shorter duration—specifically those under 120 minutes per week—were found to be more effective than higher-intensity or longer-duration routines. Programs lasting around 12 weeks showed larger effects than longer ones, suggesting that patients do not need to exercise excessively to achieve meaningful benefits.
Biological Mechanisms and Clinical Application
Exercise helps reduce pain by triggering the release of chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, which increase pain tolerance and help calm inflammation. Despite these findings, the study notes that exercise is currently underused in clinical settings and is rarely prescribed with the same precision as medication. Researchers emphasize that healthcare providers need definitive guidance on how to prescribe specific, evidence-based exercise programs tailored to individual patient needs.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Euronews Health.
