Mindful Attention and Pain Appraisal During Isometric Exercise

Abstract

Exercise-induced pain is a common and aversive experience that can influence how individuals engage with and persist in physical activity. Pain is not solely determined by sensory input but is shaped by attentional and cognitive processes that influence how bodily sensations are interpreted during exercise. The present study examined how different modes of attentional engagement shape the cognitive appraisal of exercise-induced pain. Recreationally active adults (N = 55) were randomly assigned to use either a mindful associative attentional strategy or a cognitively engaging dissociative strategy (backward counting) during two isometric endurance tasks (forearm plank and wall-sit). Core affect, pain severity, pain tolerance, and mindful reappraisal of pain were assessed during and after exercise. Manipulation checks confirmed robust differentiation of attentional focus and state mindfulness between conditions (p < 0.05). Participants using mindful attention reported significantly higher mindful reappraisal of pain during both exercises (p < 0.05, η2 = 0.11 (plank) and 0.11 (wall sit)) and lower pain severity during the plank only (p < 0.05, η2 = 0.08 (plank)) compared to those using dissociative attention. No between-condition differences were observed for pain tolerance, perceived exertion, or core affect. These findings suggest that mindful attention may influence exercise-induced pain in part through differences in cognitive appraisal rather than disengagement from bodily sensations. By highlighting pain appraisal as a key attentional mechanism, this study contributes to a more precise understanding of how mindfulness shapes pain experiences during acute exercise.