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Pain in Aging Former Athletes, Master's Athletes, and Nonathletes

Marquette University · NCT07502742

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 35–65 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
90
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
March 2, 2026
Record last updated
March 31, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

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:

  • How do former athletes, master's athletes, and nonathletes experience pain?
  • 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:

  • Baseline testing including assessments of strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and pain;
  • Strength exercise: pain assessments will occur before and after moderate-intensity strength training exercise;
  • 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).

Being studied: Moderate-Intensity Strength Exercise Intervention; Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Intervention

Conditions: Pain; Pain Management; Athlete; Exercise Training; Sports Medicine; Strength Training Effects; Aerobic Exercise; Strength Training; Aging; Quality of Life; Sports

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria (General):

  • 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+)

Exclusion Criteria (General):

  • 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)
  • Myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism in the last 12 months, active cancer, a pacemaker, or any additional condition or disease that would preclude the individual from being able to perform the tests safely

Participants will be enrolled into one of the following three mutually exclusive groups according to the following criteria:

  • Former Competitive Athlete: Prior participation in competitive sports at the Tier 3 level or above as per McKay et al. (2022): i.e., "national-level representatives who are performing structured and/or periodized training and are developing proficiency in skills required to perform their sport at the highest level; this tier includes individuals participating in Provincial/State or Academy Programs" or higher participation in sport; Not currently participating in any recreational or competitive sports over the last 5 years (Tier 2 or above)
  • Master's Athlete: Currently (within the past year) participating in sports at the Tier 2 level or above (i.e., committed to sports-specific training at least 3 times per week with the intent to compete)(McKay et al., 2022)
  • Nonathlete Control: No prior participation in sport at the Tier 3 (Highly Trained/National) Level or above and not currently participating in any competitive sports (i.e., Tier 2 or above) (McKay et al., 2022) for at least 5 years

Recruiting US locations

  • Marquette University

    Milwaukee, WI 53233

    Site contact: Jacob J Capin, DPT, PhD · 4142887865 · jacob.capin@marquette.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Jacob J Capin, DPT, PhD · 414-288-7865 · jacob.capin@marquette.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in Wisconsin →
Pain in Aging Former Athletes, Master's Athletes, and Nonathletes (NCT07502742) | Bored Studies