High-intensity interval training for chronic pain conditions: a narrative review

Abstract

Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists past the normal healing time. Physical activity and exercise programs are increasingly being promoted and used for a variety of chronic pain conditions. Evidence suggests that physical exercise is an intervention with few adverse events that may improve pain severity and physical function, thus improving the quality of life. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to improve physical outcome measures and to decrease disorder-related disability in people with chronic disorders. Since an overview of the benefits of HIIT on chronic pain conditions has not been published yet, this review aims to report the effects of HIIT alone or in combination with other forms of training on different kind of chronic pain conditions. A search in the main scientific electronic databases was performed. The results of the studies included in this review showed that HIIT is beneficial for several chronic pain conditions, improving pain and physical function. Since HIIT could represent a valid help to conventional drug therapies, it could improve the quality of life of these subjects. The actual quality of evidence remains very low, and further high evidence studies are needed to confirm the promising outcomes reported in this review.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness according to High-Intensity Interval Training Frequency in Youth Soccer Players in the Last Stage of Rehabilitation

“…However, training professionals should be mindful that long-term daily HIIT training carries a potential risk of damage from overload. Prolonged HIIT eventually increases the likelihood of problems such as chronic pain syndrome and overuse syndrome, potentially leading to departure from team training [ 43 ]. Therefore, Smith et al mentioned HIIT as an effective short-term strategy [ 34 ].…”

High-Intensity Interval Training for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review

“…HIIT gained significant popularity worldwide as a fitness trend, and recent research has demonstrated its potential in reducing disability in people with different chronic musculoskeletal disorders such as fibromyalgia [36], axial spondylarthritis [61] and chronic non-specific low back pain [62][63][64][65]. In our review, we examined the effects of HIIT on knee OA as a standalone exercise modality or in comparison to training modalities with other exercise intensities such as MICT and LIT, or to CT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that assessed the potential role of HIIT in mitigating symptoms associated with knee OA.…”

“…HIIT has been proposed as a timeefficient form of exercise that may overcome motivational barriers associated with traditional moderate intensity training [33]. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of HIIT on both healthy and pathological subjects [34][35][36]. Prior research shows that performing HIIT two to three times per week is sufficient to promote adherence and important physiological changes, such as improvements in cardiorespiratory health, body composition, and insulin sensitivity [37,38].…”

Changes in pain perception during pregnancy after one-time maximal physical exertion and an 8-week high-intensity interval training

“…Among its many benefits such as improving fat burning potential and AT in both healthy individuals and patients, including those with cardiovascular disease ( Wisløff et al, 2007 ), cancer ( Devin et al, 2016 ), or obesity ( Buckinx et al, 2018 ), it is also beneficial in the management of chronic pain. HIIT can be an important adjunct to conventional drug therapies and improve the quality of life of various populations ( Botta et al, 2022 ). It should be noted that most studies published to date have focused on older women who have already passed menopause or on elite athletes.…”