Have you ever felt it? Sore muscles that warm up and feel less painful as you head out for a jog?

It may be because the muscles begin to loosen up. But scientists have also found that the body releases endorphins that help modulate pain during moderate or intense exercise. This effect is called exercise-induced analgesia.

Now, scientists think that if you’re heading on that jog regularly, that exercise could change the way you respond to pain.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales tested how a person’s response to pain changes during the course of exercise. They recruited 24 healthy … but otherwise inactive … participants. Twelve were interested in exercise, and the other 12 were not asked to exercise.

First, the researchers used a device that applies pressure to a person’s forearm. The pressure increases until the person deems it too painful.

The exercising participants cycled three times a week for 30 minutes at about 70 percent of their peak aerobic capacity. The other participants resumed life as normal.

At the end of the six-week period, the participants’ pain threshold was measured again. The researchers found exercisers’ threshold did not change, but that they tolerated their pain longer. The non-exercisers’ tolerance of pain did not change.

A University of Florida study suggests exercise-induced analgesia varies depending on how intense your workout is. In this study, participants exercised at either 70 percent of their aerobic capacity or 50 percent or they just rested. The participants exercising at the highest capacity received the largest analgesic effect.

Both studies suggest that exercise may be used as a tool for pain management in those who suffer from chronic pain. For people just needing a regular exercise routine? Rest assured that the longer you stick to it, the less painful it will feel.