Search Results (10)

Background: Pressure algometry is commonly used in sports, exercise, and rehabilitation settings to assess pain sensitivity and monitor neuromuscular status. Reliable and accessible devices are required for consistent assessment. This study evaluated the accuracy, agreement, repeatability, and test–retest reliability of the AMF-500 digital pressure algometer. Methods: Three independent studies were conducted. Study A assessed the agreement between the AMF-500 and a three-axis AMTI force plate during 30 controlled pressure trials. Study B compared pressure pain thresholds (lumbar paravertebral muscles, tibialis anterior, and thenar eminence) and lumbar pressure pain tolerance between the AMF-500 and the MED.DOR algometer in 27 healthy adults. Study C (n = 27 healthy adults) evaluated test–retest reliability across two sessions separated by 48 h. Agreement was assessed using Bland–Altman analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) was also applied. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) were also calculated. All pressure values were expressed in N/cm². Results: In Study A, the AMF-500 slightly overestimated pressure compared with the force plate (19.34 ± 2.44 vs. 18.71 ± 2.49 N/cm²), with a mean bias of 0.63 N/cm² and limits of agreement from 0.21 to 1.05 N/cm², corresponding to a mean difference of approximately 3.4%. Despite this small systematic bias, agreement between devices was excellent (ICC = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.96–0.99), and no proportional bias was detected, indicating a small and consistent overestimation of pressure by the AMF-500. In Study B, no significant differences were observed between AMF-500 and MED.DOR for lumbar threshold, lumbar tolerance, tibialis anterior threshold, or thenar eminence threshold (all p > 0.05). Agreement between devices was good to excellent (ICC = 0.82–0.91). Bland–Altman analyses showed small mean biases (1.05–7.51 N/cm²), with proportional bias detected only for lumbar tolerance. In Study C, test–retest reliability for the AMF-500 ranged from moderate to good across sites (ICC = 0.69–0.88), comparable to MED.DOR (ICC = 0.63–0.88). SEM values for the AMF-500 ranged from 9.31 to 25.15 N/cm², with higher variability observed for lumbar tolerance. Conclusions: The AMF-500 demonstrated acceptable accuracy, agreement, and reliability when compared with a laboratory force plate and an established clinical algometer. These findings can support its use as a low-cost tool for pressure pain assessment in sports, exercise, and rehabilitation contexts. Full article

Background/Objective: Kinesiotaping (KT) is widely used in sports and rehabilitation; however, evidence regarding its acute physiological effects on strength, pain sensitivity, and muscle oxygenation remains inconsistent. This study aimed to examine the acute effects of forearm KT on maximal grip strength, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and muscle oxygenation in healthy, physically active adults who performed a fatiguing exercise protocol. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 28 participants (56 forearms), each randomly assigned to one of four conditions: KT applied proximal-to-distal, KT applied distal-to-proximal, placebo taping (no tension), or no taping (control). All assessments were performed within a single session, before and after a standardized forearm fatigue protocol. The outcomes included maximal and average grip strength (digital dynamometer), PPT (digital algometer), muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) and total hemoglobin (THb) measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (time × group) with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc tests. Results: All groups showed significant within-group reductions in grip strength after the fatigue protocol (Δ −2.8 to −7.9 kg; all p ≤ 0.01), confirming the effectiveness of fatigue induction. Between-group analysis revealed a significant effect only for SmO₂ (p < 0.001; η²p = 0.317), with the proximal-to-distal KT group showing the largest post-fatigue increase (Δ +22.4; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 2.99) in SmO₂. However, a comparable increase in SmO₂ was also observed in the control group, suggesting a possible nonspecific reperfusion or oxygenation recovery effect. No between-group differences were observed in THb (p = 0.061), maximal grip strength (p = 0.092), average grip strength (p = 0.465), or PPT (p = 0.431). Conclusions: In healthy, physically active adults, forearm kinesiotaping did not produce significant acute effects on grip strength, pain threshold, or total hemoglobin levels following fatigue. Although a transient increase in SmO₂ was observed with proximal-to-distal taping, this change likely reflects a non-specific post-fatigue reperfusion response rather than a direct enhancement of perfusion. These findings support a physiological, rather than clinical, interpretation of KT’s effects. Future studies should include clinical or athletic populations and explore whether repeated applications produce cumulative adaptations in muscle oxygenation and recovery processes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Manual therapy techniques, including mobilization and manipulation, are commonly used for chronic low back pain (CLBP), with clinical guidelines recommending their use. This study aimed to compare the immediate hypoalgesic effects of mobilization and manipulation in patients with non-specific CLBP, evaluating their impact on pain sensitivity and range of motion. Methods: A cross-over randomized controlled trial was conducted with 27 participants with non-specific CLBP. Participants received either mobilization or manipulation on two different intervention days. Outcome measures included pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) assessed with a digital algometer, pain intensity using a numeric rating scale, and lumbar range of motion (ROM) measured with a digital inclinometer. Results: The results indicated no statistically significant differences between mobilization and manipulation for any outcome measures (all p > 0.05). However, significant within-intervention improvements were observed, including pain reduction, increased PPTs, and enhanced ROM of the lower back. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that both mobilization and manipulation provide similar immediate benefits for patients with CLBP. The choice between these techniques should be based on therapists’ clinical reasoning and individualized risk stratification, considering the potential benefits and risks of each approach for a specific patient. Full article

Background/Objective: Abdominal examination by medical doctors is undertaken to observe abdominal shape and tenderness, but it is not typically quantified. Our goal was to explore the potential of physical metrics for identifying significant differences between individuals with fullness and discomfort in the chest and hypochondrium (FDCH) and those without FDCH. We utilized a 3D camera and a digital algometer to obtain these metrics. Methods: We screened sixty participants with functional dyspepsia and complaints of epigastric discomfort or pain and sixty healthy participants without any digestive problems as a case-control study. We assessed the degree of agreement with FDCH of the abdominal signs diagnosed by traditional East Asian medicine doctors by performing clinical studies that involved assessing abdomens with the aforementioned devices. Results: Algometric features such as pressure, depth, and stiffness (defined as the pressure-to-depth ratio) were significantly lower in the FDCH group than in the non-FDCH group, with mean differences across locations ranging from −1.47 to −0.86, −8.75 to −4.46, and −0.31 to −0.12, respectively. Therefore, the physical algometric features decreased, the skin stiffness decreased, and the sensitivity increased. The point estimates for the mean differences in the geometric factor of depth between FDCH and non-FDCH across the locations ranged from −2.09 to −1.66, with generally smaller depth values in the FDCH group, indicating a flat or drooping abdominal shape. Conclusions: The algometric and geometric metrics showed differences between the FDCH and non-FDCH groups, and various physical metrics will be expanded to identify other diseases through the collection of more clinical data in future. Trial registration/Protocol registration: CRIS and KCT0003369. Full article

Background: Algometry is a validated and reliable measurement tool, but there are still no reliable data for the different algometers used by different raters in the same participant. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the intra-reliability of pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) measured using a digital algometer with and without a digital screen by different raters at the same time in a pain-free population. Methods: Participants were healthy adults. PPTs were assessed using two different algometers: a digital algometer with a digital screen for a feedback of the pressure curve rate (SpTech Digital Algometer); and a digital algometer without a screen (Wagner Instruments FDX-25, Greenwich, CT, USA). Four PPT points were used: upper trapezius, lumbar spine, extensor carpi ulnaris, and tibialis anterior. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II was used to assess burnout, stress, sleeping problems, depressive symptoms, somatic stress, and cognitive stress. The intraclass coefficients (ICCs) for intra-rater reliability was calculated using a two-way mixed effects model, single measurement type, and absolute agreement definition. Results: A total of 47 healthy participants with a mean age of 30.51 (11.35) years were included. The upper trapezius and extensor carpi ulnaris had the lowest PPT values, and the tibialis anterior had the highest PPT value. Females had the lowest PPT values when compared with males with p < 0.05 in the upper trapezius and extensor carpi ulnaris regions. The intra-rater reliability ranged from good to excellent reliability, with the ICC values of rater 1 being higher when compared with rater 2. The PPT in tibialis anterior had the highest mean ICC scores. Conclusions: The intra-rater reliability of PPTs measured by different digital algometers ranged from good to excellent reliability. The rater with more experience demonstrated higher reliability. Full article

(1) Background: This cohort study aimed to evaluate the effect of patients’ treatment expectations on pain perception changes following manual therapy cervical manipulations in individuals with chronic mechanical neck pain. (2) Methods: Demographic data were collected by 56 subjects who were asked to fill out the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Expectations for Treatment Scale (ETS). All patients received one single cervical manipulation, and pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were measured before and immediately after the manipulation with a digital algometer. (3) Results: A total of 56 patients participated. Most subjects (62.5%) had high treatment expectations according to the ETS scale. Statistically significant increases in PPTs were noted both locally and in remote areas (p < 0.05), with 37.5–48.2% of participants showing clinically significant changes in pain perception. However, no statistically significant correlation was found between high treatment expectations and increased PPTs (p > 0.05). (4) Conclusions: Although a significant reduction in pain perception was observed, it did not correlate with patients’ treatment expectations. Future research for further investigation of this hypothesis by comparing real versus sham treatment and exploring additional mechanisms affecting changes in PPTs after cervical manipulations in this population will contribute to a better understanding of the research question. Full article

Background and Objectives: The objective of our clinical trial was to determine the effectiveness of the deep dry needling technique (DDN) (neuromuscular deprogramming) as a first step in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders. Methods and Materials: The double-blind randomized clinical trial comprised 36 patients meeting the inclusion criteria who had signed the corresponding informed consent form. The participants were randomly distributed into two groups, the Experimental group (Group E) and the Control group (Group C). Group E received bilateral DDN on the masseter muscle, while Group C received a simulation of the technique (PN). All the participants were evaluated three times: pre-needling, 10 min post-needling, and through a follow-up evaluation after 15 days. These evaluations included, among other tests: pain evaluation using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and bilateral muscle palpation with a pressure algometer; evaluation of the opening pattern and range of the mouth, articular sounds and dental occlusion using T-scans; and electromyography, which was used to evaluate the muscle tone of the masseter muscles, in order to control changes in mandibular position. Results: Digital control of occlusion using Tec-Scan (digital occlusion analysis) showed a significant reduction both in the time of posterior disclusion and in the time needed to reach maximum force in an MI position after needling the muscle, which demonstrated that there were variations in the static position and the trajectory of the jaw. The symmetry of the arch while opening and closing the mouth was recovered in a centric relation, with an increase in the opening range of the mouth after the procedure. Conclusions: facial pain is significantly reduced and is accompanied by a notable reduction in muscle activity after needling its trigger points. Full article

The purpose of this study was to determine if the severity of headache is reduced by decreasing hamstring tension in patients with tension headache. Thirty patients participated in this study. The participants were randomly allocated to two groups: hamstring relaxation program (HR) group (n = 15) and control group (n = 15). The participants in the HR group participated in a HR program for 25 min per day, three times per week, for a period of 4 weeks, and the control group participated in an electrotherapy for 25 min per day, three times per week, for a period of 4 weeks. Both groups participated in a self-myofacial release for 5 min per day, three times per week, for a period of 4 weeks. Headache was evaluated using the headache impact test (HIT-6) and visual analog scale (VAS). The pain pressure threshold (PPT) was evaluated using a digital pressure algometer. The range of motion (ROM) was evaluated using a goniometer and two special tests: straight leg raise test (SLRT) and popliteal angle test (PAT). The two groups showed no significant differences in terms of age, sex, height, and weight. The VAS and HIT-6 scores (p < 0.05) and neck and hamstring PPT showed significant improvements (p < 0.05). Neck flexion ROM and SLRT and PAT scores showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in both groups, and the HR group showed significantly more improvements than the control group. This study confirmed that the HR program has positive effects on tension headache and is a good intervention for alleviating headaches in patients with tension headache. Full article

Ankle injuries are highly prevalent in elite youth footballers and increase the mechanosensitivity of the local neural tissue, which may predispose athletes to re-injury and prolong rehabilitation periods. Increased neural mechanosensitivity presents clinically as altered pain pressure thresholds (PPTs) which are measured with pressure algometry. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of PPTs of the ankle neural tissue in asymptomatic elite youth football players. Three raters utilised a digital algometer to evaluate the PPTs of the Sural and Tibial nervous tissue at the ankle of elite youth male footballers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess intra-rater and inter-rater reliability and Bland–Altman figures were plotted to enable visual evaluation of measurement error with a significance level of p < 0.05. Thirty-four players (16–18 years old) were assessed. Excellent intra-rater (Tibial ICC 0.88 (0.76–0.94); Sural ICC 0.89 (0.79–0.95)) and good inter-rater reliability (Tibial ICC 0.66 (0.40–0.82); Sural 0.71 (0.50–0.85)) was demonstrated. Bland–Altman plots demonstrated low levels of measurement error. Pressure algometry can be utilised clinically to accurately evaluate the PPTs of the Tibial and Sural nervous tissue at the ankle in asymptomatic elite male youth footballers. Full article

Background and objectives: Non-motor symptoms in the form of increased sensitivity are often associated with the onset of idiopathic Bell’s palsy (IBP). The aims were to determine whether the pain threshold in the retroauricular regions (RAR) in IBP patients and the time of its occurrence is related to IBP severity. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among 220 respondents (142 IBP patients, 78 healthy subjects (HS)). The degree of IBP was graded using the House–Brackmann and Sunnybrook Grading Scales (II—mild dysfunction, VI—total paralysis), whereas the pain thresholds were measured using the digital pressure algometer. Results: We found no difference in the degree of the pain threshold between the right and left RAR in the HS group. IBP patients belonging to groups II, III, IV, and V had lower pain thresholds in both RARs than HS and IBP patients belonging to group VI. There was no difference in the degree of pain threshold in RAR between the affected and unaffected side in IBP patients. The incidence of retroauricular pain that precedes paralysis and ceases after its occurrence in groups II and III of IBP patients is noticeably lower and the incidence of retroauricular pain that occurred only after the onset of paralysis is more frequent. Also, we found that the incidence of retroauricular pain that precedes paralysis and ceases after its occurrence in groups V and VI of IBP patients was more frequent. Conclusions: The degree of pain threshold lowering in RAR (bilaterally) is inversely related to the severity of IBP. We suggest that the occurrence of retroauricular pain before the onset of facial weakness is associated with higher severity of IBP while the occurrence after the onset is associated with lower severity of IBP. Full article