“Shake it off” and “play through it” are common refrains in sports, encouraging athletes to deal with their pain and soldier on. A new study finds athletes can indeed tolerate more pain than the average person.
Previous studies on the topic have had mixed results. The new research is a study of studies, having looked at 15 separate pieces of research on the topic. The conclusion could fuel further investigation into pain tolerance that could help non-athletes, the scientists say.
"Our analysis reveals that pain perception differs in athletes compared to normally active” people, said lead the research, Dr. Jonas Tesarz at the University of Heidelberg. "Studies in athletes offer the opportunity for an evaluation of the physical and psychological effects of regular activity on pain perception, which might foster the development of effective types of exercise for relief in pain patients.