A Cross-sectional Study to Associate BMI with Pressure Pain Threshold and Pain Tolerance Among Healthy Young Individuals

Abstract

Background: Although pain is common for everyone, it is a subjective sensation influenced by different variables. One factor that influences pain threshold and perception is body mass index (BMI). This study investigates the connection between BMI and pain by assessing the pressure pain threshold and tolerance on the median and ulnar nerves in the palms. Methods: The PPT and PT of 120 participants were measured with a digital pressure algometer (FPIX50; Wagner Instruments). Measurement sessions consisted of consecutive PPT and PT readings on the thenar and hypothenar eminence of the dominant and non-dominant hand. In addition, the PPT and PT were compared between BMI, thenar and hypothenar, dominant and non-dominant hand, and sexes. Results: The results have shown that the PPT and PT increased with BMI. However, only three out of the eight readings were significant (p = <0.05). When comparing the thenar and hypothenar, the results revealed significantly higher PPT and PT levels in the hypothenar (p = < 0.001). The results comparing the PPT and PT between the dominant and non-dominant hand revealed a significantly higher PPT in the non-dominant hand reflected across the thenar and hypothenar (t= -6.197, p= <0.01) (t= -2.550, p= 0.012), respectively. In addition, males had higher PPT and PT values (p = <0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that individuals with higher BMI can tolerate more pain. They also indicate that the hypothenar eminence could withstand higher pain levels than the thenar eminence. In addition, our assessment also revealed a higher pain threshold observed in participants' nondominant hands, but the same could not be deduced for the pressure pain tolerance. Furthermore, the results have shown that males could tolerate more pain than females.