PHYSICAL EXERCISE, SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC PAIN AND INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL OBESE WOMEN

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of 20 weeks of physical exercise on pain symptoms in obese postmenopausal women, as well as the relationship between pain symptoms and body composition and inflammatory markers. A clinical trial was carried out on 66 randomized women into an exercise group (EG = 33) and a control group without exercise (CG = 33). The physical exercise intervention lasted 20 weeks and was based on the recommendations of American College Sports and Medicine (ACSM). Nine regions of the body were considered to assess the presence and intensity of pain symptoms. The EG showed reductions in pain symptoms, both in the presence and in the intensity, for most of the anatomical regions analyzed. In addition, the EG showed reductions in waist circumference (WC), BMI, fat percentage and pro-inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-α, which demonstrate a significant correlation with the reduction of pain symptoms, with the exception of IL-6. Exercise program based on general ACSM recommendations has a significant effect on reducing pain symptoms in obese postmenopausal women. Although a reduction in IL-6 was observed in the EG, this pro-inflammatory marker did not show a significant correlation with the reduction in pain symptoms. However, reductions in WC, BMI, fat percentage, fasting blood glucose and TNF-α are related to the reduction of pain symptoms.