A method of detecting the muscle pain threshold using an objective software-mediated technique

This paper describes the reliability of a new procedure of applying force to a muscle site using a computer-mediated myometric procedure to measure a discomfort-pain threshold. 24 female subjects were divided into four groups. Each group was tested on three occasions (trial) at four muscle sites (sits) repeated daily over four days (day). Each group received one of four different rates of force application (ramp). Analysis of variance (ramp by day by sire by trial) showed a significant main effect for trials and discomfort-pain threshold at different muscle sites, bur no significant main effect for days or ramps. Intraclass correlations for each muscle site were in the range of R=0.73 to 0.38. This procedure appears to be a valid, reliable and nonintrusive means of assessing the muscle discomfort-pain threshold.