Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish if people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) demonstrate impairments in the ability to localize sensory information delivered to the back more than pain-free controls and determine whether any sensory abnormalities are related to pain-related var...

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Main Authors: Wand, B., Keeves, J., Bourgoin, C., George, P., Smith, Anne, O'Connell, N., Moseley, G.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23480
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author Wand, B.
Keeves, J.
Bourgoin, C.
George, P.
Smith, Anne
O'Connell, N.
Moseley, G.
author_facet Wand, B.
Keeves, J.
Bourgoin, C.
George, P.
Smith, Anne
O'Connell, N.
Moseley, G.
author_sort Wand, B.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish if people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) demonstrate impairments in the ability to localize sensory information delivered to the back more than pain-free controls and determine whether any sensory abnormalities are related to pain-related variables.Methods: Vision was occluded and participants were stimulated using light touch or pinprick over a number of body areas in random order. To assess for mislocalizations participants were asked to nominate the location of each stimulus in reference to a marked body chart. To assess referred sensations participants who were asked whether they experienced any sensations elsewhere during stimulation. If referred sensations were reported, testing was repeated with visualization of the stimulated area.Results: Although a small number of CLBP patients demonstrated referral of sensations, this was not statistically different from what was observed in a pain-free control group (P=0.381). In contrast, mislocalizations were very common in the patient sample and statistically more common than we found in controls (P=0.034). No statistically significant associations were detected between sensory function and the measured pain-related variables (all P>0.05).Discussion: These data add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that disturbed self-perception is a feature of CLBP. It is plausible that altered self-perception is maladaptive and contributes to the maintenance of the problem and may represent a target of treatment for CLBP.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-234802017-09-13T13:56:21Z Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation Wand, B. Keeves, J. Bourgoin, C. George, P. Smith, Anne O'Connell, N. Moseley, G. body image sensory perception referred sensations low back pain cortical reorganization Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish if people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) demonstrate impairments in the ability to localize sensory information delivered to the back more than pain-free controls and determine whether any sensory abnormalities are related to pain-related variables.Methods: Vision was occluded and participants were stimulated using light touch or pinprick over a number of body areas in random order. To assess for mislocalizations participants were asked to nominate the location of each stimulus in reference to a marked body chart. To assess referred sensations participants who were asked whether they experienced any sensations elsewhere during stimulation. If referred sensations were reported, testing was repeated with visualization of the stimulated area.Results: Although a small number of CLBP patients demonstrated referral of sensations, this was not statistically different from what was observed in a pain-free control group (P=0.381). In contrast, mislocalizations were very common in the patient sample and statistically more common than we found in controls (P=0.034). No statistically significant associations were detected between sensory function and the measured pain-related variables (all P>0.05).Discussion: These data add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that disturbed self-perception is a feature of CLBP. It is plausible that altered self-perception is maladaptive and contributes to the maintenance of the problem and may represent a target of treatment for CLBP. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23480 10.1097/AJP.0b013e318274b320 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins fulltext
spellingShingle body image
sensory perception
referred sensations
low back pain
cortical reorganization
Wand, B.
Keeves, J.
Bourgoin, C.
George, P.
Smith, Anne
O'Connell, N.
Moseley, G.
Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation
title Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation
title_full Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation
title_fullStr Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation
title_full_unstemmed Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation
title_short Mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: A preliminary investigation
title_sort mislocalization of sensory information in people with chronic low back pain: a preliminary investigation
topic body image
sensory perception
referred sensations
low back pain
cortical reorganization
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23480