Measurements of human pressure-pain thresholds on fingers and toes.
Pressure-pain thresholds (PPT) were measured on fingers and toes with a hand-held electronic pressure algometer in 15 males and 15 females. The pressure algometer offered easy control of pressure application rate. The intra-individual coefficient of variation, based on repeated PPT measurements with a 1 week interval was 14%. The inter-individual coefficient of variation was 28% for females and 33% for males. In the course of 10 consecutive PPT measurements with short intervals (10 and 20 sec), no significant change in PPT was observed. PPT was found to be 50% higher in males than in females (P less than 0.0001). Slightly but significantly higher PPT values were found on the dominant compared to the non-dominant side (P less than 0.005).
Department of Neurology, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark.
J
J
Brennum
M
M
Kjeldsen
K
K
Jensen
T S
TS
Jensen
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011312:Pressure; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D014034:Toes / Q000294:innervation*