Investigating the Role of Central Pain Hypersensitivity in Skeletal Muscle Neural Drive, in People With Knee Pain, and in People With Fibromyalgia Syndrome (Pain-Neural Drive)

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Other
Study Type: Observational
SUMMARY

Background: pain lasting for 12 weeks or beyond, which is often referred to as chronic pain, is common for people living with musculoskeletal conditions (e.g. arthritis, low back pain and fibromyalgia). Pain is often not directly related to the degree of muscle or joint damage. Adaptations of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) often occur in chronic musculoskeletal conditions and can influence how we feel pain (central pain hypersensitivity). Pain can impact on muscle activity and movement. Muscle activity is also governed by nerve signals from the central nervous system (neural drive). The goal of this cross-sectional observational study is to investigate whether chronic musculoskeletal pain is associated with altered nerve signalling (neural drive) to skeletal muscles in adults 40 years or over with chronic knee pain, fibromyalgia and healthy pain free volunteers. The main questions it aims to answer are:- * Is central pain hypersensitivity associated with altered nerve signalling to skeletal muscles in adults 40 years or over with chronic pain (knee pain and for fibromyalgia) as well as healthy volunteers? * Is altered nerve signalling to skeletal muscles associated with physical function and disability? Participants will be asked to:- * Have sensory testing to determine how they feel pain * Complete static leg and arm muscle contractions with electrodes on the skin to measure muscle electrical activity * Complete questionnaires * Perform a short set of mobility tasks including walking, rising from a chair and balancing.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 40
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

⁃ Knee pain group

• History of knee pain with an intensity level of 4 out of 10 or greater (where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable) for most days in the past 3 months

⁃ Fibromyalgia group

• Fibromyalgia diagnosis (participant self-reporting a previous diagnosis by a clinician)

• Pain with an intensity level of 4 out of 10 or greater (where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable) for most days in the past 3 months

⁃ Control group

⁃ \- Pain free individuals without known osteoarthritis

Locations
Other Locations
United Kingdom
University of Nottingham Graduate Entry Medicine and Health, Royal Derby Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby
RECRUITING
Derby
Contact Information
Primary
Ben Lightowler, MSc
benjamin.lightowler@nottingham.ac.uk
+44 (0)115 7484098
Backup
Stephanie Smith, PhD
Stephanie.Smith2@nottingham.ac.uk
+44 (0) 115 823 1942
Time Frame
Start Date: 2025-11-24
Estimated Completion Date: 2026-09
Participants
Target number of participants: 135
Treatments
Chronic Knee Pain
Adults with knee pain lasting over 3 months
Fibromyalgia
Adults with Fibromyalgia
Control Group
Adults without chronic pain conditions
Sponsors
Leads: University of Nottingham

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov