Test-Retest Reliability of Pressure Pain Threshold Measurements of the Upper Limb and Torso in Young Healthy Women

Objective To determine the absolute and relative intra-rater within-session test-retest reliability of pressure pain threshold (PPT) and mechanical temporal summation of pain (TSP) at the low back and the forearm in healthy participants and to test the influence of the number and sequence of measurements on reliability metrics. Methods In 24 participants, three PPT and TSP measures were assessed at four sites (2 at the low back, 2 at the forearm) in two blocks of measurements separated by 20 minutes. The standard error of measurement, the minimal detectable change (MDC) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were investigated for five different sequences of measurements (e.g. measurement 1, 1–2, 1-2-3). Results The MDC for the group (MDCgr) for PPT ranged from 28.71 to 50.56 kPa across the sites tested, whereas MDCgr for TSP varied from 0.33 to 0.57 out of 10 (numeric scale). Almost all ICC showed an excellent relative reliability (between 0.80 and 0.97), except when only the first measurement was considered (moderate). Although minimal differences in absolute PPT reliability were present between the different sequences, in general, using only the first measurement increase measurement error. Three TSP measures reduced the measurement error. Discussion We established that two measurements of PPT and three of TSP reduced the measurement error and demonstrated an excellent relative reliability. Our results could be used in future pain research to confirm the presence of true hypo/hyperalgesia for paradigms such as conditioned pain modulation or exercise-induced hypoalgesia, indicated by a change exceeding the measurement variability.

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Test-Retest Reliability, Repeatability, and Sensitivity of an Automated Deformation-Controlled Indentation on Pressure Pain Threshold Measurement

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics ◽

10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.01.001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 84-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Terry K. Koo ◽

Jing-yi Guo ◽

Cameron M. Brown

Keyword(s):

Pain Threshold ◽

Pressure Pain Threshold ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Pressure Pain ◽

Test Retest Reliability ◽

Threshold Measurement

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Test-retest reliability of pressure pain threshold and heat pain threshold as test stimuli for evaluation of conditioned pain modulation

Neurophysiologie Clinique ◽

10.1016/j.neucli.2021.06.005 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Milena Kovacevic ◽

Ljiljana Klicov ◽

Dragana Vuklis ◽

Randy Neblett ◽

Aleksandar Knezevic

Keyword(s):

Pain Threshold ◽

Pressure Pain Threshold ◽

Pain Modulation ◽

Conditioned Pain Modulation ◽

Heat Pain ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Pressure Pain ◽

Heat Pain Threshold ◽

Test Retest Reliability

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Within- and between-session test-retest reliability of pressure pain threshold in individuals with lateral elbow tendinopathy

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport ◽

10.1016/j.jsams.2021.09.197 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

pp. S79-S80

Author(s):

L. Heales ◽

C. Hill ◽

C. Kean ◽

R. Stanton

Keyword(s):

Pain Threshold ◽

Pressure Pain Threshold ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Pressure Pain ◽

Lateral Elbow ◽

Test Retest Reliability ◽

Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy

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Peer Review #2 of "Comparison of hand grip strength and upper limb pressure pain threshold between older adults with or without non-specific shoulder pain (v0.1)"

10.7287/peerj.2995v0.1/reviews/2 ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Peer Review ◽

Grip Strength ◽

Shoulder Pain ◽

Upper Limb ◽

Pain Threshold ◽

Pressure Pain Threshold ◽

Hand Grip Strength ◽

Pressure Pain ◽

Hand Grip

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A New Protocol to Evaluate the Effect of Topical Anesthesia

Anesthesia Progress ◽

10.2344/0003-3006-61.4.135 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 135-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Thomas List ◽

Katerina Mojir ◽

Peter Svensson ◽

Maria Pigg

Keyword(s):

Pain Threshold ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Pressure Pain Threshold ◽

Test Site ◽

Test Protocol ◽

Double Blind ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Needle Penetration ◽

Before And After ◽

Test Retest Reliability

Abstract This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over clinical experimental study tested the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of punctuate pain thresholds and self-reported pain on needle penetration. Female subjects without orofacial pain were tested in 2 sessions at 1- to 2-week intervals. The test site was the mucobuccal fold adjacent to the first upper right premolar. Active lidocaine hydrochloride 2% (Dynexan) or placebo gel was applied for 5 minutes, and sensory testing was performed before and after application. The standardized quantitative sensory test protocol included mechanical pain threshold (MPT), pressure pain threshold (PPT), mechanical pain sensitivity (MPS), and needle penetration sensitivity (NPS) assessments. Twenty-nine subjects, mean (SD) age 29.0 (10.2) years, completed the study. Test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficient at 10-minute intervals between examinations was MPT 0.69, PPT 0.79, MPS 0.72, and NPS 0.86. A high correlation was found between NPS and MPS (r = 0.84; P < .001), whereas NPS and PPT were not significantly correlated. The study found good to excellent test-retest reliability for all measures. None of the sensory measures detected changes in sensitivity following lidocaine 2% or placebo gel. Electronic von Frey assessments of MPT/MPS on oral mucosa have good validity.

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Can Injuries Have a Lasting Effect on the Perception of Pain in Young, Healthy Women and Men?

Sports Health A Multidisciplinary Approach ◽

10.1177/1941738120953165 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 194173812095316

Author(s):

Agnieszka Maciejewska-Skrendo ◽

Maciej Pawlak ◽

Agata Leońska-Duniec ◽

Alina Jurewicz ◽

Mariusz Kaczmarczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Pain Threshold ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Emotional Experience ◽

Pressure Pain Threshold ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Female Group ◽

Pressure Pain ◽

Left Hand ◽

Healthy Women

Background: Pain is a characteristic, unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Pain is a subjective sensation, modulated by many factors such as age, sex, emotional state, national origin, or physical activity. Moreover, it is closely associated with intense physical activity, injuries, and traumas, which can significantly modulate pain tolerance. Hypothesis: We postulate that there are correlations between past injuries, physical activity, and intensity of pain perception (pain threshold and pain tolerance) in a population of healthy men and women. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: A total of 302 participants aged 18 to 32 years were included. The participants were divided into 2 groups (active and inactive individuals), in accordance with the scope of physical activity they had indicated. The test of pressure pain threshold and pressure pain tolerance was performed using an algometer. Results: Active women achieved significantly higher pain threshold and pain tolerance values in all measurements on the upper limb (except for the pain threshold on the left hand) compared with inactive women. In mediation analysis, the effect of injury remained significant only for the pressure pain tolerance in the dominant arm and the left hand in the female group. In the case of men, there were no significant differences in all measurements in view of the threshold and tolerance for pain between the groups of active and inactive and between men with injuries and without injuries. Conclusion: Intense, regular physical activity is a factor modulating the perception of pain. This was demonstrated as lowered sensitivity to pain stimuli in a population of healthy women. Clinical Relevance: Injuries should be treated as an important factor modulating the perception of pain. We recommend detailed monitoring of injuries during treatment and control of pain sensation.

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