title: Assessing pain perception using the Painmatcher in patients with whiplash-associated disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the Painmatcher, in terms of reliability, and to explore the relationship between pain magnitude matching and pain threshold assessments in patients with whiplash-associated disorders. Also, to investigate gender differences in pain thresholds and explore the correlation between pain-related cognitions and pain threshold.
  
  
  METHODS
  A test-retest study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients with whiplash-associated disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A visual analogue scale and a Painmatcher (an instrument for comparing pain magnitude) were used to evaluate pain intensity. Pain threshold was assessed using the Painmatcher. Pain-related cognitions were assessed using the Painometer and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Painmatcher demonstrated reliable pain magnitude matching scores, but the pain threshold assessment indicated a systematic disagreement. Women exhibited significantly lower pain thresholds than men (p < 0.01). There was a weak but significant correlation between the pain intensity according to the visual analogue scale and the Painmatcher (r = 0.46) (p < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between the emotional experience of pain and pain threshold (r = -0.33) (p < 0.001), but no significant correlation between fear of movement/(re)injury and pain threshold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measuring pain with the Painmatcher is a reliable method, but may include a possible bias in threshold assessments and seems to be associated with unpleasantness.
authors.affiliation: Department of occupational therapy, audiology and physiotherapy, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden. lina.bunketorp@gu.se
authors.forename: Lina Bunketorp
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Käll
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stener-Victorin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology