Assessment of Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) and Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) After Effect in… (NCT07178288) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Assessment of Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) and Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) After Effect in Patients With and Without Tennis Elbow (TE)
Jordan38 participantsStarted 2025-09-10
Plain-language summary
This study at Hashemite University looks at how people with and without tennis elbow (AKA lateral elbow tendinopathy) feel pressure pain and how their bodies briefly "turn down" pain after a cold stimulus. Participants complete brief questionnaires (basic demographics without names, a tennis-elbow symptom form, and a physical-activity form) and then have their pressure-pain threshold (PPT) tested with a handheld device that slowly increases pressure on standard spots near the elbow and wrist; they say when it first becomes painful. To test the body's built-in anti-pain system (conditioned pain modulation, CPM), one hand is placed in ice water (the cold-pressor task) and PPT is measured again at set times (before, during, and after the cold stimulus) to see how much pain sensitivity changes and how long that change lasts. Both PPT reliability and CPM after effect are measured in this study. The study findings may help improve future assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal pain conditions.
Who can participate
Age range
60 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
TE Group
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients with Tennis Elbow confirmed at initial assessment by the Primary Investigator (PI)
Unilateral elbow pain \> 6 weeks duration reproduced on at least two of the following tests:
* Palpation of the lateral epicondyle
* Isometric testing of the wrist extensors
* Middle finger extension test
* Passive stretch of wrist extensors
* Resisted hand gripping using a dynamometer
* Upper limb neurodynamic test-radial nerve bias (ULNDT-RN)
Exclusion Criteria:
* History of chronic pain conditions (e.g. fibromyalgia, irritable bowel
* syndrome, temporomandibular dysfunction, migraines)
* Neurological or sensory dysfunction (especially in the upper limbs)
* History of chronic musculoskeletal pain (e.g. arthritis, chronic low back
* pain)
* Contraindications to cold application (i.e. Reynaud's disease, diabetes)
* Current or long-term use of pain medication or anti-depressants
Healthy Group The asymptomatic group included adults (18-65 years) without pain (acute or chronic) at least 3 months before the experimental sessions.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)
Timeframe: The PPT session would take about 30min to be completed in one day.
2
Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM)
Timeframe: 1 and half hours in a separate day (different to the PPT session day)