MUSCLE ENDURANCE, MUSCLE TENSION AND PERSONALITY-TRAITS IN PATIENTS WITH MUSCLE OR JOINT PAIN - A PILOT-STUDY

Objective. To investigate the relationships between personality traits , depressive symptomatology and continuous muscle tension. Methods. Th ese were investigated by means of a visual analog scale and the presen ce of continuous muscle tension during repeated isokinetic shoulder fl exions in patients with muscle or joint pain and controls. Results. A significantly higher level of muscle tension between contractions was found in the patient groups in painful muscles. The patients with prim ary fibromyalgia and trapezius myalgia differed in degree of depressiv e symptomatology compared to controls. Conclusion. Inhibition of aggre ssion correlated significantly with the tension level between contract ions during the isokinetic test indicating interaction between psychol ogical and somatic factors.