Tissue Stiffness is Not Related to Pain Experience: An Individually Controlled Study in Patients with Chronic Neck and Back Pain

Table 2

Course of stiffness of cupped side, noncupped side, and difference of both.

Stiffness (N/m) ± SD	Neck pain (n = 20)	Low back pain (n = 20)	Total (n = 40)
Mean difference of both sides (cupped—control side)
Baseline	56 ± 52	79 ± 59	68 ± 56
5 min	25 ± 52	43 ± 52	34 ± 52
10 min	19 ± 66	40 ± 75	39 ± 71
15 min	25 ± 55	30 ± 70	28 ± 63
20 min	31 ± 61	35 ± 77	33 ± 69
24 h	36 ± 68	47 ± 81	42 ± 75
Mean of cupped side
Baseline	374 ± 117	510 ± 94	442 ± 211
5 min	350 ± 73	483 ± 92	417 ± 83
10 min	353 ± 79	495 ± 100	424 ± 90
15 min	369 ± 79	496 ± 91	433 ± 85
20 min	375 ± 88	498 ± 92	437 ± 90
24 h	378 ± 118	511 ± 108	445 ± 113
Mean of control side
Baseline	341 ± 101	430 ± 109	386 ± 105
5 min	343 ± 93	439 ± 91	391 ± 92
10 min	355 ± 76	455 ± 108	405 ± 92
15 min	350 ± 85	465 ± 102	408 ± 94
20 min	348 ± 84	463 ± 104	406 ± 94
24 h	353 ± 91	463 ± 114	408 ± 103

Significant reduction ( compared to baseline).