Low back pain is one of the main causes of motor disabilities and psychological stress, with the painful process encompassing sensory and affective components. Noxious stimuli originate on the periphery; however, the stimuli are recombined in the brain and therefore processed differently due to the emotional environment. To better understand this process, our objective was to develop a mathematical representation of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) model of pain, covering the multidimensional representation of this phenomenon. Data from the Oswestry disability index; the short form of the depression, anxiety, and stress scale; and pain catastrophizing daily questionnaires were collected through online completion, available from 8 June 2022, to 8 April 2023 (1021 cases). Using the information collected, an artificial neural network structure was trained (based on anomaly detection methods) to identify the patterns that emerge from the relationship between the variables. The developed model proved to be robust and able to show the patterns and the relationship between the variables, and it allowed for differentiating the groups with altered patterns in the context of low back pain. The distinct groups all behave according to the main finding that psychological and pain events are directly associated. We conclude that our proposal is effective as it is able to test and confirm the definition of the IASP for the study of pain. Here we show that the fiscal and mental dimensions of pain are directly associated, meaning that mental illness can be an enhancer of pain episodes and functionality.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of a training program with the Pilates Method on muscle fatigue in youth soccer players. Fifteen male soccer players, sub 13-15 category, with a mean age of 13.27 ± 0.45 years, were randomly divided into two groups: Control group (n = 7) and Pilates group (n = 8). In the Pilates group, an additional training protocol was performed with the Pilates Method alone. In both groups, the concentration of cytokines (TNFα, IL-10), the electrical activity of the rectus femoris, rectus abdominis, biceps femoris and gluteus maximus muscles was evaluated and the Side Hop Test was performed. In both groups, there were no significant changes in the cytokine profile and in the electrical activity of the evaluated muscles, but there was a significant difference in the time taken to perform the Side Hop test for the Pilates group. The application of the Pilates method (solo) as an additional training in youth soccer players did not show greater tolerance to muscle fatigue, however it may have generated an improvement in the functional performance of the athletes.