The goal of this clinical trial is to determine how male and female former athletes experience pain and respond to moderate-intensity exercise (strength versus aerobic) compared with both current master's athletes and nonathletes.
The main questions this study aims to address are:
1. How do former athletes, master's athletes, and nonathletes experience pain? 2. How do different types of moderate-intensity exercise (strength versus aerobic exercise) influence pain in former athletes, master's athletes, and nonathletes?
Participants will complete 3 different testing sessions:
1. Baseline testing including assessments of strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and pain; 2. Strength exercise: pain assessments will occur before and after moderate-intensity strength training exercise; 3. Aerobic exercise: pain assessments will occur before and after moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
There will be a washout period of approximately one week or greater between each of the three different testing sessions. The order of conditions (strength versus aerobic exercise) will be randomized (crossover randomized trial design).
Age: 35 years through 65 years
Current master's athlete, former competitive athletes, or non-athlete control (see details below)
Ability to participate in exercise and exercise testing based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+)
Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study
Currently taking heart rate lowering medications (e.g., betablockers) that would impact exercise testing
Contraindications to ice such as Raynaud's, cryoglobulinemia, cold urticaria, and/or impaired circulation or sensation
Fibromyalgia and/or chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS)