L. Bendtsen et al., PRESSURE-CONTROLLED PALPATION - A NEW TECHNIQUE WHICH INCREASES THE RELIABILITY OF MANUAL PALPATION, Cephalalgia, 15(3), 1995, pp. 205-210
The objective of the present study was to investigate whether the reli
ability of tenderness evaluation can be increased by using a new techn
ique called ''pressure-controlled palpation'' (pcp). The technique has
been made possible by a newly invented piece of equipment called a pa
lpometer, with which a pressure-sensitive plastic film attached to the
index finger records the pressure exerted. In 15 patients with chroni
c tension-type headache and in 15 healthy volunteers, 2 investigators
studied myofascial tenderness using conventional palpation and pressur
e-controlled palpation. Tenderness was scored on a 4-point scare in ea
ch of the examined pericranial regions. The sum of tenderness scores r
ecorded by two observers using conventional palpation differed signifi
cantly (p = 0.0003), while results did not differ between observers us
ing pressure-controlled palpation (p = 0.89). During palpation with se
ven different pressure intensities a positive and linear relation betw
een pressure and pain intensity was found (p = 0.00006). Pain intensit
y reported by the subjects correlated highly with tenderness scored by
the observer (r(s) = 0.95, p < 0.0001). These results demonstrate for
the first time that tenderness scores can be compared between observe
rs if palpation pressure is controlled pressure-controlled palpation r
epresents a major improvement on current palpation techniques and shou
ld be standard in future research on myofascial pain disorders.