A new study has shown that higher levels of physical activity is linked with less intensity of cancer-related pain.
The study, published in the journal Cancer by the American Cancer Society, analysed information from 51,439 adults without a history of cancer and 10,651 adults with a past cancer diagnosis.
The team, led by senior author Erika Rees-Punia, PhD, MPH, of the American Cancer Society, and first author Christopher T.V. Swain, PhD, of the University of Melbourne, in Australia, asked participants “How would you rate your pain on average,” with responses ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable). Participants were also asked about their usual physical activity.
Results showed that for individuals who had cancer in the past as well as for those without a history of cancer, more physical activity was linked with lower pain intensity.
The extent of the association was similar for both groups of individuals, indicating that exercise may reduce cancer-related pain just as it does for other types of pain that have been studied in the past.
U.S. guidelines recommend two hours 30 minutes to five hours a week of moderate-intensity, or one hour 15 minutes to two hours 30 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
Among participants with a past cancer diagnosis, those exceeding physical activity guidelines were 16% less likely to report moderate-to-severe pain compared to those who failed to meet physical activity guidelines. Also, compared with people who remained inactive, those who were consistently active or became active in older adulthood reported less pain.
“It may feel counterintuitive to some, but physical activity is an effective, non-pharmacologic option for reducing many types of pain. As our study suggests, this may include pain associated with cancer and its treatments,” said Dr Rees-Punia.