A comparative study to show whether exercise, incorporating age, gender and occupation, would affect any measurable change in the levels of Pain Pressure Thresholds

Philip Mortimer                                                                                                         Supervisor Ed Wilmott

Abstract

The aim of this study was to quantitatively measure the pain pressure thresholds (PPT’s) of a range of subjects. The amounts of exercise undertaken by these subjects ranged from high amounts of exercise, to no exercise at all. This format also included the affecting factors of age, occupation and gender.

To study PPTs of all the groups presented, an instrument called an algometer was used. In total 60 subjects were measured, who were categorized under three different exercise groups; heavy exercise, moderate exercise and no exercise. Two groups were measured between male and female, three different age groups (ranging from 20 to 50 yrs) were measured and three different occupation settings were measured including heavy manual, light manual and desk-based. Measurements were taken on two sites bilaterally to give a mean reading.

Statistical analysis was performed using a one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a post test using the Tukey-Kramer comparison test. Also a two tailed t-test was used to compare the two individual group settings.

The results suggested statistical significant differences of the following findings.

1). Heavy exercise demonstrated a significant difference compared to the non-exercise group.2). Heavy exercise group who performed desk based occupations had significant differences compared to non-exercise desk based