earticle

영어

Background: This study aimed to compare pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in the vertebral segments between patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) and healthy participants without back pain and to determine the correlation between vertebral bone-segment PPT and pain level, lower back pain dysfunction, and psychological status in patients with CLBP. Methods: The subjects of this study were 23 healthy adults and 23 adults with CLBP. PPT was measured in 23 spinal bone segments using a PPT device, and the CLBP group was subjected to a pain level test (NRS) and a psychological test using the Korean version of the pain catastrophizing scale (KPCS). The functional level was assessed using the Korean version of the Oswestry disability index (KODI). Results: PPTs of the spinal sclerotomes were significantly lower in patients with CLBP than in healthy participants. In the CLBP group, the composite score of lumbar PPTs showed a high correlation with the composite scores for all segments, but not with the pain level (NRS), KPCS score, and spinal sclerotome PPT. Moreover, PPT in the sacral sclerotomes showed a significant negative correlation coefficient with function, with a KODI score of -.462 (p<.01). Conclusion: In this study, PPTs in all spinal segments in patients with CLBP was significantly lower than that in healthy subjects. The PPTs of the lumbar region was significantly correlated with the PPTs of other spinal regions. Through this study, it was found that there were changes in PPTs in CLBP patients not only in the lumbar region but also in other spinal regions. This information should be considered during clinical treatment of patients with low back pain.