Correlation Between Central Sensitization Inventory and Posturographic Data

First, subjects will be asked to answer a brief medical questionnaire pertaining their general health status: since some of the subjects will be self-assessed to be "healthy" (no medical examination will be conducted to determine if this is indeed the case), the questionnaire will be used to determine if there are any possible known causes of poor balance performance. The questionnaire will not constitute an inclusion/exclusion criterion, it just has a classification purpose.

Subjects will then be asked to fill in the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), scoring each of the 25 items on a scale from 0 (never) to 4 (always).

Then, subjects will stand for 2 minutes on a compliant surface (a 4" tall foam cushion of known mechanical properties) to "learn" how to stand on it. Afterward, they will undergo posturography testing using the extended modified Clinical Testing of Sensory Integration in Balance (ext_mCTSIB) protocol: the subjects will be required to stand on a hard or compliant surface in a comfortable posture, feet shoulder width, with eyes open or closed, arms to the side and free to move, gazing forward, and breathing normally, with head straight, turned right or left, flexed or extended.

• Posturography Evaluation (Diagnostic test), also known as Balance Testing, CAPS® Testing: Posturography testing using the extended modified Clinical Testing of Sensory Integration in Balance (ext_mCTSIB) protocol: the subjects will be required to stand on a hard or compliant surface in a comfortable posture, feet shoulder width, with eyes open or closed, arms to the side and free to move, gazing forward, and breathing normally, with head straight, turned right or left, flexed or extended
• Central Sensitization Inventory (Other): Standard chronic pain questionnaire: the subjects will be required to score each of the 25 items on a scale from 0 (never) to 4 (always)

Primary outcomes

• Stability Score [immediately after data collection]: The Stability Score (calculated as percentage ratio of the actual sway and the theoretical limit of stability) will be used to investigate if there is any difference between healthy controls and subjects affected by chronic pain. Statistical tools such t-tests and correlation coefficients will be used for assess if there is a difference between the two groups
• CSI [immediately after data collection]: The sum of all the answers to the Central Sensitization Inventory will be used to investigate if there is any difference between healthy controls and subjects affected by chronic pain. Statistical tools such t-tests and correlation coefficients will be used for assess if there is a difference between the two groups

Secondary outcomes

• CSI-SS [immediately after data collection]: Correlation between the Stability Score and the CSI result for each individual to determine if balance is an indicator of Central Nervous System Sensitization

Sex: All, ages: 18 Years to 65 Years, accepts healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults, self assessed to be in good health, or medically diagnosed with any of the following pathologies: Chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP), Fibromyalgia (FM), Cervicogenic Headche (CH), Chronic Tension Type Headache (CTT), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD), Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant women will be excluded, as will be minors

• Paul Noone, PhD, Principal investigator, Caps Research Network