Cuff pressure pain detection is associated with both sex and physical activity level in nonathletic healthy subjects

PURPOSE : The aim of this study was to evaluate pressure pain sensitivity on leg and arm in 98 healthy persons (50 women) using cuff algometry. Furthermore, associations with sex and physical activity level were investigated.

METHOD:  Normal physical activity level was defined as Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) score ≤ 45 and high activity level as GLTEQ > 45. A pneumatic double-chamber cuff was placed around the arm or leg where a single chamber was inflated. The cuff inflation rate (1 kPa/s) was constant, and pain intensity was registered continuously on a 10 cm electronic visual analogue scale (VAS). The pain detection threshold (PDT) was defined as when the pressure was perceived as painful, and pain tolerance (PTT) was when the subject terminated the cuff inflation. For PTT, the corresponding VAS score was recorded (VAS-PTT). The protocol was repeated with two chambers inflated. RESULT : Only single cuff results are given. For women compared with men, the PDT was lower when assessed in the arm (P = 0.002), PTTs were lower in the arm and leg (P < 0.001), and the VAS-PTT was higher in the arm and leg (P < 0.033). Highly active participants compared with less active had higher PDT (P = 0.027) in the leg. Women showed facilitated spatial summation (P < 0.014) in the arm and leg and a steeper VAS slope (i.e., the slope of the VAS pressure curve between PDT and PPT) in the arm and leg (P < 0.003).

CONCLUSION:  This study indicates that reduced pressure pain sensitivity is associated both with male sex and physical activity level.