Mayorga-Vega Lidia, Jimenez-Cebrian Ana Maria, Barón-López Francisco Javier, Montiel-Luque Alonso, Benavente-Marín Juan Carlos, Warnberg Julia
Department of Nursing and Podiatry, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
EpiPHAAN Research Group, Universidad de Málaga-Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA-BIONAND), Málaga, Spain.
PeerJ. 2025 Aug 12;13:e19875. doi: 10.7717/peerj.19875. eCollection 2025.
Foot pain is very common, affecting 24% of the adult population over 45 years old. Mechanical stimulation devices, such as pressure algometers, are used for the precise and objective quantification of the pain threshold (minimum tolerable pain). The digital pressure algometer is a diagnostic tool for evaluating pain thresholds and pain tolerance related to musculoskeletal conditions in patients. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) measured with a digital algometer have shown good to excellent intra-rater agreement and reliability for most body locations. However, no study has focused on evaluating specific locations on the foot. This study aimed to determine the intra- and inter-session agreement and reliability of pressure pain threshold measurements on the foot in a population of adults aged 55 to 75 years.
Using a JTECH Commander digital algometer, an experienced podiatrist measured the pressure pain thresholds at four locations on the sole of the dominant and non-dominant foot (head of the first metatarsal, head of the fifth metatarsal, pulp of the first toe, and center of the heel) in 15 male and 16 female volunteers aged 55 to 75. In each session, three pressure pain thresholds measurements were taken at each location. Measurements were repeated over three different sessions; the first and second sessions were 30 min apart, and the third session was 1 week later. The standard error of measurement (SEM) and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated to reflect within- and between-session agreement. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).
Within-session agreement, expressed as SEM, ranged from 3Newtons (N) to 8N depending on the test location. Between session agreement, expressed as SEM, ranged from 5N to 10N, and the CV ranged from 7.9% to 13.7% per location. The ICC values ranged from 0.76 to 0.91.
A digital algometer can be used to measure pressure pain thresholds on the foot. Specifically, this study used this technique to evaluate PPT at four points on the plantar surface (head of the first and fifth metatarsals, pulp of the first toe, and center of the heel), and the results showed good to excellent reliability for within- and between-session measurements.
足部疼痛非常常见，影响着45岁以上24%的成年人口。机械刺激设备，如压力痛觉计，用于精确、客观地量化疼痛阈值（最小可耐受疼痛）。数字压力痛觉计是评估患者肌肉骨骼疾病相关疼痛阈值和疼痛耐受性的诊断工具。使用数字痛觉计测量的压力痛阈值（PPT）在大多数身体部位显示出良好到极佳的评分者内一致性和可靠性。然而，尚无研究专注于评估足部的特定部位。本研究旨在确定55至75岁成年人群中足部压力痛阈值测量的组内和组间一致性及可靠性。
使用JTECH Commander数字痛觉计，一名经验丰富的足病医生在15名年龄在55至75岁的男性和16名女性志愿者的优势足和非优势足的足底四个部位（第一跖骨头、第五跖骨头、第一趾腹和足跟中心）测量压力痛阈值。在每个测量时段，每个部位进行三次压力痛阈值测量。测量在三个不同时段重复进行；第一个和第二个时段间隔30分钟，第三个时段在1周后。计算测量标准误（SEM）和变异系数（CV）以反映组内和组间一致性。使用组内相关系数（ICC）评估可靠性。
以SEM表示的组内一致性，根据测试部位不同，范围为3牛顿（N）至8N。以SEM表示的组间一致性范围为5N至10N，每个部位的CV范围为7.9%至13.7%。ICC值范围为0.76至0.91。
数字痛觉计可用于测量足部的压力痛阈值。具体而言，本研究使用该技术评估了足底表面四个点（第一和第五跖骨头、第一趾腹和足跟中心）的PPT，结果显示组内和组间测量具有良好到极佳的可靠性。
