Shoulder pressure pain thresholds revisited: The influence of assessment methodology and site, and association with gender, dexterity and body composition
Article
Bordachar, DJ, Barbosa, AW, Vieira, ER et al. (2019). Shoulder pressure pain thresholds revisited: The influence of assessment methodology and site, and association with gender, dexterity and body composition
. 41(6), 329-336. 10.1016/j.ft.2019.07.002
Bordachar, DJ, Barbosa, AW, Vieira, ER et al. (2019). Shoulder pressure pain thresholds revisited: The influence of assessment methodology and site, and association with gender, dexterity and body composition
. 41(6), 329-336. 10.1016/j.ft.2019.07.002
Background and aims: There is little evidence regarding reference values for shoulder pressure pain threshold (PPT). Our aims were to assess the normal PPT around the shoulder, and to analyse the influence of the calculation method, gender, body composition and manual dexterity. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 58 asymptomatic individuals of both genders, aged between 18 and 65 years, were recruited. The PPT was assessed in the infraspinatus muscle (IS), middle deltoid muscle (MD), pectoralis brevis muscle insertion (PBI), acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) and upper trapezius muscle (UT). Three measurements were taken at each site, and the first was eliminated to calculate the mean value. The independent t-test was used to determine differences between groups (level of significance of 95%). Results: The most sensitive point was the TS (4.31 ± 2.09 kg/cm2), followed by the PBI (4.63 ± 1.85 kg/cm2), MD (5.60 ± 2.28 kg/cm2), IS (6.33 ± 2.25 kg/cm2) and ACJ (6.70 ± 2.26 kg/cm2). Only the MD showed a significant difference between sides. Men had higher PPT values, except for the TS. Overweight subjects had higher PPT values in the MD and the PBI. Conclusions: No significant differences with previous reference values were found. Discrepancies between different studies might not depend on the method used to obtain the final value. A statistical correlation was found between PPT at the MD and hand dexterity, although this association may not be clinically relevant. Finally, this study showed that the PPT of the MD and the PBI is BMI-dependent.
