The effect of psychosocial stress on pressure pain threshold in individuals with and without chronic low back pain: a preliminary study [Abstract]

Bhide, J. S., Hemming, Rebecca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8708-5638 and Davies, Jennifer ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7635-4815 2022. The effect of psychosocial stress on pressure pain threshold in individuals with and without chronic low back pain: a preliminary study [Abstract]. Orthopaedic Proceedings 104-B (S9) , p. 23.

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Abstract

Purpose of study and background Psychological factors are considered to play a role in development and maintenance of chronic low back pain (CLBP). Stress or anxiety can change pain sensitivity; however, this has predominantly been studied in healthy individuals with limited work in individuals with musculoskeletal pain. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of acute exposure to a psychosocial stressor on mechanical pain sensitivity in individuals with and without CLBP. Summary of methods and results Six individuals with CLBP and 10 individuals without CLBP performed a 10-minute computer task under conditions of low and high psychosocial stress. Psychosocial stress was manipulated using mental maths and memory tasks combined with social evaluative threat. The effect of the stressor was evaluated using blood pressure, heart rate and the state anxiety component of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Index. Mechanical pressure pain threshold (PPT) was recorded on the tibialis anterior muscle using a handheld digital pressure algometer. The stress manipulation increased self-reported anxiety (p<0.001), but not blood pressure or heart rate (p>0.06). Change in PPT from low to high stress was greater in the CLBP group (median ΔPPT = −0.5 kg/cm2) than in the control group (−0.15 kg/cm2; p=0.005). Conclusion Individuals experienced an increase in pain sensitivity after acute exposure to a stressor designed to mimic low-level workplace stressors, and this increase was greater in individuals with CLBP than asymptomatic individuals. These results indicate that this experimental model can be used to study links between pain sensitivity and psychosocial stressors and increase our understanding of their potential role in CLBP. Conflicts of Interest: No conflicts of interest. Sources of funding: No funding obtained.

Item Type:	Short Communication
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Healthcare Sciences
Subjects:	R Medicine > RZ Other systems of medicine
ISSN:	1358-992X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	29 September 2026
Last Modified:	30 Sep 2026 08:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/189895

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