title: Inhibition of maximal voluntary contraction force by experimental muscle pain: a centrally mediated mechanism.
abstract: Muscle weakness frequently accompanies conditions with musculoskeletal pain. It is not clear if this attenuation of force is due to peripheral or central processes. The effect of experimental muscle pain on maximal voluntary contraction torque and peripheral contractile properties was therefore assessed. Experimental muscle pain reduced the torque produced by isometric knee extension, but the contractile properties assessed by twitch interpolation were not affected. This indicates that force inhibition by muscle pain is centrally mediated. This has clinical implications for rehabilitation and training of patients with musculoskeletal pain.
authors.affiliation: Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Laboratory for Experimental Pain Research, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7D-3, DK-9220 Aalborg E, Denmark. tgn@smi.auc.dk
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Graven-Nielsen
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arendt-Nielsen
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Danneskiold-Samsøe
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bliddal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019415:Torque