Fischer Andrew A
Rehabilitation Medicine Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468 U.S.A.
Pain. 1987 Jul;30(1):115-126. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(87)90089-3.
Pressure threshold is the minimal pressure (force) which induces pain. The pressure threshold meter (PTM) is a force gauge with a rubber disc of 1 cm2 surface. The instrument has been proven to be useful in clinical practice for quantification of deep muscle tenderness. Trigger points, fibrositis, myalgic spots, activity of arthritis as well as assessment of sensitivity to pain can be diagnosed by PTM. This study therefore established standards for pressure threshold as well as the reproducibility and validity of measurement in 24 male and 26 female normal volunteers at 9 sites. Muscles frequently afflicted by trigger points were examined. The deltoid was chosen as a reference since it is rarely a site for trigger points. Comparison of corresponding muscles on opposite sides failed to demonstrate significant differences (except for 1 muscle in females). These identical results obtained over muscles of opposite sides proved the excellent reproducibility and validity of pressure threshold measurement. Results serve as a reference for clinical diagnosis of abnormal tenderness and for documentation of treatment results. The sensitivity of individual muscles varies. Therefore the results presented should be kept in mind when diagnosis of pathological tenderness by palpation is attempted.
压力阈值是引发疼痛的最小压力（力）。压力阈值测量仪（PTM）是一种带有1平方厘米橡胶圆盘的测力计。该仪器已被证明在临床实践中可用于量化深部肌肉压痛。触发点、纤维肌炎、肌痛点、关节炎活动以及疼痛敏感性评估都可以通过PTM进行诊断。因此，本研究为24名男性和26名女性正常志愿者在9个部位建立了压力阈值标准以及测量的可重复性和有效性。对经常受触发点影响的肌肉进行了检查。选择三角肌作为参考，因为它很少是触发点的部位。对两侧相应肌肉的比较未显示出显著差异（女性中有一块肌肉除外）。在两侧肌肉上获得的这些相同结果证明了压力阈值测量具有出色的可重复性和有效性。研究结果可为异常压痛的临床诊断和治疗结果记录提供参考。不同肌肉的敏感性各不相同。因此，在尝试通过触诊诊断病理性压痛时应牢记本文给出的结果。
