Effects of fitness level and exercise intensity on pain and mood responses.

Background: The phenomenon of exercise-induced hypoalgesia and concomitant mood changes is well-established. How exercise-induced hypoalgesia and affective responses are shaped by the intensity of an acute exercise bout and individual fitness levels is as yet not well-understood. This study investigates whether heat pain threshold (PTh), pain tolerance (PTol) and affective parameters are modulated by the intensity of an acute exercise bout and/or individuals' fitness level.