Objective: The objective of this study was to provide normative data on pressure and thermal pain thresholds at several sites in the forequarter of normal subjects, as a basis for further studies investigating mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders affecting the upper limb. The aims of the study included: determining whether there is any laterality effect on pain threshold, determining whether there is any proximal to distal variation in pain thresholds and determining whether there is any gender difference in pain thresholds. Methods: Subjects for this study were 20 normal volunteers in the age range 35-60. There was preponderance of female volunteers to reflect the preponderance of females in this age group who report chronic musculoskeletal pain. Pressure pain thresholds and thermal pain thresholds were measured bilaterally at seven sites in the forequarter. These sites were selected because they are common sites of tenderness associated with a variety of musculoskeletal disorders. Pressure pain thresholds were measures using a pressure algometer and thermal pain thresholds were measured using a contact thermode values were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: No differences between sides were seen for either pressure pain thresholds or thermal pain thresholds. The results obtained showed a significant site effect [P < 0.001] for pressure pain thresholds, although this was primarily due to the fact that values obtained for point 1 [anterior aspect of the transverse process of C6] were significantly lower than all other sites. There was no significant difference between sites for thermal pain thresholds although there was a tendency for 1 site to have a lower threshold than the other sites. For both measures, there was a distinct gender difference with females exhibiting significantly lower pressure pain thresholds [P < 0.036] and thermal pain thresholds [P < 0.05] than males. Conclusion: Normative data have been obtained for mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in a relevant subject population. These data may be used as a basis for further studies to investigate the generalized nature of altered pain thresholds in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders.