title: [A survey of normal reference ranges of tenderness threshold in healthy undergraduates].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the profiles of pressure pain threshold (PPT) and pressure pain tolerance (PTO) of healthy undergraduates so as to establish the normal reference ranges of PPT and PTO.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of PPT and PTO were measured at lateral brachioradialis of lateral elbow joint with a pressure algometer in 113 healthy undergraduates. Then the influencing factors of tenderness thresholds were analyzed and the normal reference ranges of PPT and PTO established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The females exhibited a lower PPT than the males (P < 0.01). And the gender differences of PTO were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in either PPT or PTO between the right and left sides (P > 0.05). The normal reference ranges (kg/cm(2)) of PPT and PTO were obtained at the measuring spot of all subjects. As a result, the ranges of PPT were 1.19 - 4.63 in the males and 0.37 - 3.63 in the females. And the range of PTO was 1.80 - 8.50 in all subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey establishes the normal reference ranges of tenderness thresholds at the specific measuring spot for some specific population. These ranges may serve as a reference for the sensitivity of individual tenderness safely, accurately and simply.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Guang-You
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Xian-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult