On November 18, Kathleen Sluka gave a talk on her research on immune mechanisms underlying pain responses to regular physical activity. After her talk, there was a panel discussion featuring:
- Marie Hoeger Bement, Marquette University, Milwaukee, US
- Peter Grace, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, US
- Catherine Bushnell, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NIH, Bethesda, US (moderator)
Watch the webinar recording below.
Here is an abstract of Sluka’s talk:
Regular physical activity (exercise) can reduce pain in people with chronic musculoskeletal pain, whereas unaccustomed exercise can exacerbate pain. This apparent dichotomy in pain response to physical activity is poorly understood, making exercise prescription for individuals with pain challenging. The mechanisms driving this apparent dichotomy in pain response to physical activity are not well understood, and present a barrier to activity-based treatment. We propose that this dichotomy may in large part be explained by the plasticity of the immune system, and is modulated by physical activity levels. We will discuss the role of local immune cells, muscle macrophages, underlying the effects of an acute bout of exercise on pain using recently developed animal models of exercise-induced pain and the effects of regular physical activity in preventing chronic pain. Understanding these interactions will give us a better comprehension of the underlying biology to improve the overall management of people with chronic musculoskeletal pain as well as prevent development of chronic pain.
Want some background reading? See the recent papers under Related Content in the right column of this page. And join the conversation about the webinar on Twitter @PainResForum or #PRFWebinar.
See previous PRF webinars here.
