Pain Inhibitory Effects of Other Pain Induced by Mechanical Pressure at Different Intensities

Conditioned Pain Modulation Induced by Mechanical Stimulation. A Mechanism of Manual Therapy Analgesia: Study 2

The objective is to estimate the effects on pain thresholds of a painful mechanical stimulus on the upper trapezius at moderate intensity compared to mild intensity or non-painful.

The mechanical stimulus produced in manual therapy (MT) techniques elicits neurophysiological responses within the peripheral and central nervous system responsible for pain inhibition. Almost all types of MT elicit a neurophysiological response that is associated with the descending pain modulation circuit. But it has not been demonstrated whether this inhibition occurs through a conditioned pain modulation mechanism induced by painful mechanical stimulation that is carried out with manual therapy techniques.

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy male or female between 18 and 65 years
• Free of pain and with no history of chronic pain

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or having given birth within the last year