Localized gluteal skin pinch pressure hyperalgesia in patients with chronic low-back pain

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Fellowship, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Ph.D. of Circadian Biology, London, United Kingdom

4 Faculty of Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran

Abstract

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a significant health issue, causing reduced quality of life and employment limitations.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the pinch pressure pain sensitivity of the skin in the lower back area between patients with nonspecific low back pain and a control group.
Methods: This observational, case-control study involved 193 patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) who scored more than 25 on the visual analog scale (VAS) for at least three months between October 2012 and June 2013. Mechanical pinching of the lower back region was used to test for skin hyperalgesia. A double-blind design was used to evaluate skin hyperalgesia in the control group, which consisted of 108 people.
Results: Signs of hyperalgesia were found in the upper lateral quadrant of the gluteal area, around the posterior part of the iliac crest, in both groups. However, the degree of hyperalgesia in patients with chronic nonspecific LBP (with or without symptoms) was significantly higher (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The results indicated that pressure-induced localized gluteal skinfold tenderness (hyperalgesia) is common in patients with chronic low-back pain.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Preventive and Complementary Medicine
Volume 1, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
January 2022
Pages 32-37

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 November 2021
  • Revise Date: 24 December 2021
  • Accept Date: 26 December 2021

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