Impaired postural control in patients affected by tension-type headache

Abstract

Sixteen subjects, affected by chronic tension-type headache (TTH) accordingly to the International Headache Society Classification (1988) criteria, in presence of tenderness in pericranial muscles,with a mean age of 37 ± 11.8 years, and ten healthy volunteer subjects, age and sex matched, were submitted to postural analysis by Static Posturography (S.Ve.P. Amplaid). Aim of the study was to evaluate whether patients with TTH have disturbed postural control, as compared to normal subjects. Postural analysis considered all posturographic variables but focused on spectral frequency analysis of body sway. In both open (OE) and closed eyes (CE) condition, spectral frequency analysis showed a significantly increased body sway at low (OE= p⩽0.01; CE= p⩽0.01) and middle (OE= p⩽0.01; CE= p⩽0.01) frequencies on the antero-posterior ( y) plane and at low frequencies (OE= p⩽0.05; CE= p⩽0.05) on the lateral ( x) plane. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test for unpaired data, p value ⩽0.05 defined significant. The proprioceptive input seems to be predominant at middle and high frequencies in maintaining posture, our results seem then to suggest a proprioceptive disturbance in TTH patients. The disturbance is likely related to chronic pericranial muscle contraction and tenderness. Posturography and spectral analysis may help not only in the diagnosis of a postural disturbance but even more in the follow-up of TTH patients, during and after a medical and/or a rehabilitative treatment.