Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

• fahimeh kamalisarvestani ¹
• mahboobeh rangraz tabatabaei ²
• mohsen salesi ³

¹ PhD, Academic Board Member, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

² MSc, Department of Exercise Physiology, School of education Sciences & psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, I

³ PhD, Academic Board Member, Department of Exercise Physiology, School of education Sciences & psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity induces various body organs and systems such as Neurohormonal and endocrine due to altering energy consumption rate. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aquatic and non-aquatic aerobic exercises on beta endorphin plasma level and pain perception threshold in athletes. Materials and Methods: Seventeen female volleyball players with at least 3 years of continuous sport activity (Mean age +/-SD; 27.52±4.12 years, weight+/-SD; 61.44±5.29 kg, height+/-SD; 170.59±4.86 cm) were voluntarily participated in this study. They all signed the consent form. Pain threshold assessment and blood sampling were carried out before, immediately and 30 minutes after aerobic training in two sessions in and out of water. Data were analyzed using repeated measurement of ANOVA and LSD post-hoc test was used to determine which mean differences were statistically significant. Also dependent paired t-test with difference score was done to compare between groups. Results: According to the results, beta endorphin responses and pain perception threshold were significantly increased before and after exercise in both environments (p<0.001). Beta endorphin level in aquatic group was significantly less than non-aquatics, immediately and 30 minutes after the aerobic exercise (p>0.01). Pain threshold did not show any significant difference between groups neither in the immediate nor the follow up phase (p>0.05). Conclusion: Aerobic exercise can increase the beta endorphin responses and pain perception threshold regardless of the environment. It seems that despite beta endorphin plasma level,    exercise-induced pain threshold is not dependent on the environment. Keywords: beta endorphin,pain threshold, aerobic exercise , aquatic exercise,  Athletes