Does Chronic Low Back Pain Affect Tactile Acuity?

Objective: Our body's sensory functions can be impaired in many clinical situations. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether tactile acuity decreased in individuals with chronic low back pain compared to healthy controls. The secondary aim was to examine the relationship of age, body mass index, pain intensity, and pain duration with tactile acuity. Methods: In this study, 64 individuals with chronic low back pain and 69 healthy controls were included. After obtaining demographic information, such as age, gender, and body mass index, the sense of 2-point discrimination was evaluated with the Baseline[R] esthesiometer device. Results: A total of 133 individuals, 64 women and 69 men, participated in the study. The mean age was found to be 40.65 [+ or -] 11.90 years in the chronic low back pain group and 42.36 [+ or -] 12.14 years in the control group. When the 2 groups were compared, no statistically significant difference was found according to age, gender, body mass index, and educational status (P > .05). The results of the 2-point discrimination test revealed a significantly higher distance in the chronic low back pain group compared to the control group (P < .01). While there was a weak correlation between 2-point discrimination and age in the chronic low back pain group (r=0.291, P < .05), this correlation was moderate in the control group (r=0.503, P < .01). In addition, there was a moderate relationship between body mass index and 2-point discrimination in the control group (r=0.322, P < .01), while no such correlation was observed in the chronic low back pain group (P > .05). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, chronic low back pain presents as a pathology that may decrease tactile acuity. Therefore, it is recommended that individuals with chronic low back pain should be included in routine clinical evaluation tests of tactile sensitivity; however, demographic characteristics, such as age and body mass index, should also be considered in the interpretation of the results. Keywords: Two-point discrimination, chronic low back pain, tactile acuity