Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports
-
Scand J Med Sci Sports · Mar 2013
Do patients with chronic patellar tendinopathy have an altered somatosensory profile? A Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) study.
The prevalence of tendinopathies in sports is high. The etiology and pain mechanisms of tendinopathies are not completely understood. Currently, little is known whether, or to which degree, somatosensory changes within the nervous system may contribute to the pain in tendinopathies. ⋯ None of the athletes had signs of Dynamic Mechanical Allodynia. Reduced mechanical pain thresholds or pinprick allodynia reflects the involvement of central sensitization upon the myelinated (Aδ-fibre) nociceptive input. From this explorative study, we conclude that sensitization may play a prominent role in the pain during and after sports activity in patella tendinopathy patients.