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Muscle strength in patients with chronic pain

Painexpertise Centre, Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

L Akkerman

J Wieringa

Private physiotherapy practice, Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

P U Dijkstra

Painexpertise Centre, Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

Objective: To analyse the in‘uence of chronic pain on muscle strength.

Design: Muscle strength of patients with unilateral nonspecific chronic pain, in an upper or lower limb, were measured according to a standardized protocol using a hand-held dynamometer. Before and after muscle strength measurement, a visual analogue scale for pain intensity was assessed.

Results: Forty patients were measured and the muscle strength of the painful side was 20–30% less than that of the nonpainful side. Strength reduction was seen in the whole limb. A significant correlation between pain intensity and reduced muscle strength in the painful limb existed for hip ‘exion, knee ‘exion, knee extension and three-point grip.

Conclusions: A strength reduction of 20–30% in a painful limb seems to be ‘normal’ in chronic pain patients.

Clinical Rehabilitation, Vol. 17, No. 8, 885-889 (2003)
DOI: 10.1191/0269215503cr693oa


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