Brain Trick Makes Exercise Feel Easier Without Changing the Workload

What if the brain could be tricked into thinking exercise is easier—without changing the body’s actual workload? A new study suggests tendon vibration might alter how the brain perceives effort during physical activity.

Researchers applied vibration to the Achilles and patellar tendons of participants before cycling tests. This intervention increased power output and heart rate while participants reported no increase in perceived effort. The mechanism appears linked to spinal neurons and neuromuscular spindles, which relay sensory information to the brain about muscle tension and movement.

Benjamin Pageaux said:

"Depending on the amplitude and frequency of the vibration, we can either excite or inhibit neurons in the spinal cord. Also, prolonged vibration changes the reactivity of the neuromuscular spindles and alters the signal sent to the brain."

The study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science (DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101061), involved three-minute cycling sessions in a controlled laboratory setting. While the report states the findings are preliminary, Pageaux clarified the limitations:

"It hasn't been tested in a marathon, only during a short, three-minute cycling exercise. Still, this is the first time it's been shown to work with this type of exercise."

Future research will use EEG and MRI to examine brain activity during vibration and how pain or fatigue might influence effort perception.

The report states no independent expert commentary was included in the source, and the study does not provide clinical guidance for patients or doctors.

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