Measuring pressure pain threshold in the cervical region of dizzy patients-The reliability of a pressure algometer.
Mari Kalland Knapstad, Stein Helge Glad Nordahl, Ingvill Fjell Naterstad and 3 others
PMID 30088327WHAT IT FOUND
Pressure algometry showed almost perfect reliability for measuring neck pain thresholds in dizzy patients.
Lower thresholds predicted positive tender points and correlated with self-reported pain intensity, supporting its use as a valid tool in this population.
Key findings
01The pressure algometer demonstrated almost perfect reliability at all four cervical sites for both intrarater and test-retest measurements.
02Low pressure pain threshold significantly predicted a positive outcome at the corresponding ACR tender point in all four cervical sites.
03There was a significant inverse association between pressure pain threshold and self-reported neck pain intensity (NPRS) in patients reporting neck pain.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Test-retest interval was only 30 minutes, so reliability over longer periods or across different days is unknown. Only one examiner performed all measurements, so inter-rater reliability was not assessed. Pain thresholds were measured at standardized anatomical sites rather than at the patient's specific areas of maximal pain. Participants were not matched for neck pain status, which may affect group comparisons.
Declared interests
No specific conflicts of interest or funding sources were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this tool is reliable for inter-rater comparisons or over longer time intervals, as the study only tested one examiner and a 30-minute retest window.