Pain, Perception and Performance

In this episode, we dive into several scientific articles exploring how athletes perceive pain — and what factors shape that experience. We discuss the influence of fear, mindset, and training volume, and how these elements can either amplify or dull pain during performance.Together, we distill what we’ve learned from both science and lived experience and explore how runners can apply these insights to better understand and manage discomfort during competition.Hope you enjoy this one! If you have any questions, email us at [email protected] written and recorded by Tim GibsonArticles discussed:Pain Processing in Elite and High-Level Athletes Compared to Non-athletesSusann Dahl Pettersen, Per M Aslaksen, Svein Arne PettersenNeural mechanisms of pain processing differ between endurance athletes and non-athletes: A functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging studyMaria Geisler, Alexander Ritter, Marco Herbsleb, Karl-Jurgen Bar, Thomas WeissMarathon runners' reaction to potassium iontophoretic experimental pain: pain tolerance, pain threshold, coping and self-efficacyM.H. Johnson, J. Stewart, S.A. Humphries, A.S. ChamovePain perception in athletes compared to normally active controls: A systematic review with meta-analysisJonas Tesarz, Alexander K. Schuster, Mechthild Hartmann, Andreas Gerhardt, Wolfgang EichDevelopment of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-IIID.W. McNeil, A.J. Rainwater III