None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Recent work has demonstrated that non-informative visualisation of the body part (visualisation of the body part without visualisation of the stimulus) decreases our perception of pain when the stimulus is delivered to the skin. Subsequent investigations by the same group verified this finding, as well as demonstrating that the effect is greater when the body part is magnified and less when the area is minified, suggesting a relationship between body image and pain perception. This is important because there is mounting evidence of disrupted body image in people with persistent pain problems, and the degree of disruption seems to be related to the severity of the clinical condition. These results suggest that normalisation of the size of perception of the painful body part might have potential as a treatment strategy. The mechanisms underlying the perception of superficial pain produced by noxious stimulation of the skin are thought to be distinct from those mechanisms that underlie perception of pain mediated by noxious stimulation of deep tissues. Importantly, most clinical pain states are associated with noxious input from deep tissue rather than the skin. Moreover, the one study that has investigated visual distortion in a clinical population noted an effect opposite to those noted above. When patients with complex regional pain syndrome performed a task with their painful upper limb, pain was less when their arm was viewed through minifying goggles and more when magnified. While there are likely to be numerous differences in the mechanisms underpinning clinical and experimental pain, it is possible and theoretically plausible that the contrasting results were a result of the difference between superficial and the more clinically-relevant deep pain. We wish to explore this possibility by investigating the effect non-informative visualisation of the body area has on experimental deep tissue pain. Our primary hypothesis is that visualisation of the body area will have an analgesic effect on experimentally-induced deep tissue pain. We further hypothesise that visually altering the perceived size of the body part will alter the perception of pain when compared with the baseline condition of no alteration in perceived body part size. This research is important as it may provide insight into the role body image plays in influencing deep tissue pain as well as suggesting possible management strategies for pain problems.
Interventions
Arm 1: Participant observes the quadriceps muscle during quadriceps muscle contraction
Arm 2: Participant observes the quadriceps muscle through magnifying lenses during quadriceps muscle contraction
Arm 3: Participant observes the contralateral thigh during quadriceps muscle contraction
Arm 4: Participant observes a neutral object during quadriceps muscle contraction
Each contraction will be held for 5 seconds and the contractions will be performed 3 times for each visual condition.
There wil
Arm 1: Participant observes the quadriceps muscle during quadriceps muscle contraction Arm 2: Participant observes the quadriceps muscle through magnifying lenses during quadriceps muscle contraction Arm 3: Participant observes the contralateral thigh during quadriceps muscle contraction Arm 4: Participant observes a neutral object during quadriceps muscle contraction Each contraction will be held for 5 seconds and the contractions will be performed 3 times for each visual condition. There will be a 5 minute wash-out period between each condition
Sponsors
University of Notre Dame
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Proficiency in written and spoken English Able to provide informed written consent
Exclusion criteria
Leg pain that has required a visit a health care professional in the previous 12 months. Fractures or dislocations in the leg within the last 5 years. Any neurological disorder. Ongoing lumbar spine problems. Abnormal tenderness to palpation of the soft tissues of the thigh. Reduced or excessive knee or hip movement. Regular consumption of anticoagulant medication or medications known to influence pain sensitivity (e.g. Painkillers, anti-inflammatories, antidepressants). Recent quadriceps strength training (previous 6 months). Any ongoing medical problems.
Outcome results
None listed