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27042 Pressure-pain thresholds at baseline and in response to isometric exercise in Achilles tendinopathy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2021

Lauren Sara
Affiliation:
Marquette University
Karis Yang
Affiliation:
Marquette University
Meggie Rose Hart
Affiliation:
Marquette University
Marie Hoeger Bement
Affiliation:
Marquette University
Sandra Hunter
Affiliation:
Marquette University
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Abstract

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ABSTRACT IMPACT: Baseline presentation in AT (higher upper trapezius PPT with no difference at calf or tendon) may suggest a mechanism for persistent symptoms: with more advantageous central pain processing and no tradeoff peripherally, they may choose to continue their usual activities without regard for further damage to the affected tendon. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Exercise-induced hypoalgesia, a reduction in pain with exercise, is often observed in healthy populations but is not well established in Achilles tendinopathy (AT). The aim was to compare pressure-pain threshold (PPT) at baseline and after fatiguing isometric exercise in AT and healthy controls. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: 21 participants were recruited for the study: 7 AT (26.5 ±8.8 yrs), 14 control (22.1 ±3.2 yrs). After a familiarization session, participants completed an experimental session that involved performance of intermittent maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) (2s:2s duty cycle) in a Biodex3 dynamometer (Biodex Medical, Shirley, NY) for 4 minutes. PPT was measured at the medial gastrocnemius (calf), Achilles tendon, and upper trapezius at baseline and immediately following the fatiguing isometric task using a Somedic Algometer (Somedic AB, Sweden). Data are expressed as Mean(SD). Change in PPT is expressed as a percentage of baseline PPT. Units for PPT are kPa. A priori alpha was set to 0.05. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: There was no change in tendon or calf PPT following isometric exercise in AT (tendon: p=0.78; calf: p=0.76), while both increased (i.e., exercise-induced hypoalgesia) in controls (tendon: 9.5(17.8), p=0.03; calf: 21.3(22.7), p<0.01). Neither group experienced a post-exercise change in upper trapezius PPT (AT: p=0.35; control: p=0.37). There was no between-group difference in baseline calf (p=0.14) or tendon (p=0.19) PPT. However, baseline and post-exercise upper trapezius PPT were significantly higher in AT (baseline: 335.6(194.8); post-exercise: 321.2(170.1)) than in controls (baseline: 193.7(75.1), p<0.01; post-exercise: 198.1(79.1), p<0.01). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: These findings suggest: (1) in persons with AT, central pain processing is altered at baseline, but unaffected in response to isometric fatiguing exercise; and (2) in persons with AT, peripheral pain processing is unaffected at baseline, but is altered in response to this mode and dosage of fatiguing isometric exercise.

Type
Basic Science
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Association for Clinical and Translational Science 2021