Psychological factors are associated with local and generalized pressure pain hypersensitivity, pain intensity, and function in people with chronic shoulder pain: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesTo explore the association between psychological factors and shoulder pain intensity, function, as well as local and generalized pressure pain hypersensitivity.Design: a cross-sectional study. Methods90 participants with chronic shoulder pain were included. Pressure pain thresholds determined the presence of pain hypersensitivity. Pain intensity, function, pain self-efficacy, emotional distress, and pain catastrophizing were also assessed. Analyses were adjusted for gender and age. ResultsThe diagnosis of depression (yes/no answer) was associated with both greater local (standardized β = -0.19[95%CI -0.37 to −0.00]) and generalized (standardized β = -0.20[95%CI -0.39 to −0.01]) pressure pain hypersensitivity. Greater pain self-efficacy was associated with lower local pressure pain hypersensitivity (standardized β = 0.19[95%CI 0.04 to 0.38]). The standardized beta coefficient for the diagnosis of depression indicated that this variable showed the strongest association with pressure pain hypersensitivity. Additionally, greater pain self-efficacy was associated with lower pain intensity (standardized β = -0.34[95%CI -0.51 to −0.17]) and better function (standardized β = -0.47[95%CI -0.63 to −0.30]). Greater pain catastrophizing was associated with more pain intensity (standardized β = 0.35[95%CI 0.18 to 0.52]) and worse function (standardized β = 0.26[95%CI 0.10 to 0.43]). The standardized beta coefficients for pain catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy indicated that both variables showed the strongest association with shoulder pain intensity and function, respectively ConclusionPsychological factors were associated with local and generalized pressure pain hypersensitivity, pain intensity, and function in people with chronic shoulder pain.