Open AccessLack of Gender and Age Differences in Pain Measurements Following Exercise in People with Chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorders
Author(s) -
Kelly Ickmans,
Anneleen Malfliet,
Margot De Kooning,
Lisa Goudman,
Ives Hubloue,
Tom Schmitz,
Dorien Goubert,
María Encarnación Aguilar-Ferrándiz
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pain physician
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2150-1149
pISSN - 1533-3159
DOI - 10.36076/ppj.20.5.e829
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic pain , whiplash , physical therapy , hyperalgesia , nociception , central sensitization , physical medicine and rehabilitation , poison control , receptor , environmental health
Background: Individuals with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD) present persistentpain in the absence of structural pathology. In these people, altered central pain processingand central sensitization are observed. The role of personal factors, such as gender and age,on pain processing mechanisms in chronic WAD, however, is still unclear.Objectives: This study investigated possible gender- and age-related differences in selfreported and experimental pain measurements in people with chronic WAD. Besides theexercise-induced response on pain measurements between gender and age subgroups wasrecorded.Study Design: Case-control study.Setting: University Hospital, Brussels.Methods: Self-reported pain and experimental pain measurements (pressure pain thresholds[PPT], occlusion cuff pressure, temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation) wereperformed in 52 individuals (26 chronic WAD patients and 26 healthy controls), before andafter a submaximal cycle exercise.Results: Lower PPTs and occlusion cuff pressures were shown in chronic WAD in comparisonwith healthy controls. No gender and age differences regarding PPTs, occlusion cuff pressuresand conditioned pain modulation were found in chronic WAD.Within the chronic WAD group, men showed higher self-reported pain compared to womenand younger adults showed enhanced generalized pain facilitation compared to older adults.In addition, chronic WAD patients are able to inhibit exercise-induced hyperalgesia, but nogender and age differences in pain response following exercise were found.Limitations: This study was sufficiently powered to detect differences between the chronicWAD and control group. However, a sufficient power was not reached when patients weredivided in age and gender groups. Furthermore, only mechanical stimuli were included in theexperimental pain measurements. Besides, psychosocial factors were not taken into account.Conclusion: Some alterations of altered pain processing are present in chronic WAD patients,however not in response to exercise. No gender and age differences in pain measurementswere observed in people with chronic WAD.