Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate age and gender differences in pressure pain threshold (PPTh) and pressure pain tolerance (PPTo). PPTh and PPTowere assessed be means of a pressure algometer in 40 young subjects (20 men, 20 women; mean age 26.22 ± 4.69 years) and 60 old subjects (30 men, 30 women; mean age 73.43±7.16 years) in four different points of the body. When the data from all four sites were added and averaged the older subjects showed a significantly higher value of PPTh and a lower value of PPTo. PPTh was lower in older females than in older males. There was the same tendency in the younger group although it did not reach statistical significance. PPTo was significantly higher in males, both in the older and younger groups.