A comparison of pressure pain detection thresholds in people with chronic low back pain and volunteers without pain.
OBJECTIVE
Palpation is often utilized in the physical examination of patients with low back pain. The purpose of this study was to compare the pressure pain detection threshold (PPDT) of people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and subjects without pain.


METHODS
Thirty female subjects with CLBP were recruited from the offices of primary care physicians and physical therapists and compared with 30 female volunteers without pain for differences in PPDT at 6 sites tested bilaterally.


RESULTS
A significantly lower mean PPDT was found for all test site groups in subjects with CLBP compared with subjects without pain. A lower global PPDT was found in subjects with CLBP compared with subjects without pain (5.6 lb/cm(2) versus 6.9 lb/cm2). This also was the case for PPDT for the group of test sites unrelated to the lumbar spine (5.1 lb/cm(2) versus 6.1 lb/cm(2)) and for PPDT related to the lumbar spine (5.9 lb/cm(2) versus 8.0 lb/cm(2)).


CONCLUSIONS
Neurobiological or biopsychosocial influences may have contributed to the lower PPDT evident in subjects with CLBP. Subjects with CLBP demonstrated a lower global PPDT compared with subjects without pain, which should be taken into account when interpreting findings of pain or tenderness from palpation.
Giesbrecht
R Jason
RJ
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. jngiesbrecht@shaw.ca
Battié
Michele C
MC
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017288:Pain Threshold; D010173:Palpation; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards*; D011312:Pressure; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires