Smoking, Pain Threshold, and Hand Strength in Women

May 28, 2026 updated by: Nurcan Contarli, Karabuk University

The Effect of Smoking on Pain Threshold, Cervical Position Sense, and Grip Strength in Women

This study aims to investigate the effects of smoking on pain threshold, cervical position sense, and grip strength in women. Measurements will include pressure pain threshold (PPT), cervical position sense (CPS), grip strength, and pinch strength.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Smoking is widely recognized as one of the leading preventable causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide and constitutes a major public health problem. Smoking is thought to negatively influence pain perception, proprioceptive sensory feedback, and muscle performance. In this context, examining the combined effects of smoking on pain threshold, CPS, and grip strength in women may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional impact of smoking on the neuromuscular and sensory systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of smoking on pain threshold, CPS, and grip strength in women.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

128

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy women aged 18-45, both smokers and non-smokers

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women aged 18-45, both smokers and non-smokers

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals with any diagnosed neurological, rheumatological, or musculoskeletal disorder (e.g., brachial plexus injury, cervical radiculopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, fibromyalgia),
  • upper extremity deformity,
  • migraine,
  • chronic headache
  • experienced neck or upper extremity injury or surgery within the previous six months

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Grip strenght
Time Frame: The measurements will be lasted 5-10 minutes.
Participants will be instructed to grasp the device tip between the thumb and the lateral aspect of the index finger's middle phalanx and to apply maximal force for 3 seconds, followed by relaxation.
The measurements will be lasted 5-10 minutes.
Pain pressure threshold
Time Frame: The measurements will last 5-10 minutes.
Measurements will obtained from anatomical landmarks that have been frequently used in previous studies and reported to be reliable and sensitive.
The measurements will last 5-10 minutes.
Cervical Position Sense
Time Frame: The measurements will take 5-10 minutes.
Using the CROM device, deviations from neutral head position were recorded in all three anatomical planes. With eyes closed, participants were then asked to perceive a target position passively guided by the examiner.
The measurements will take 5-10 minutes.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Karabuk University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

  • Audette, I., Dumas, J. P., Côté, J. N., & De Serres, S. J. (2010). Validity and between-day reliability of the cervical range of motion (CROM) device. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 40(5), 318-323. Bartley, E. J., & Fillingim, R. B. (2013). Sex differences in pain: a brief review of clinical and experimental findings. British journal of anaesthesia, 111(1), 52-58. Bhattacharyya, A., Hopkinson, L. D., Nolet, P. S., & Srbely, J. (2023). The reliability of pressure pain threshold in individuals with low back or neck pain: a systematic review. British Journal of Pain, 17(6), 579-591. Benowitz, N. L., Lessov-Schlaggar, C. N., Swan, G. E., & Jacob III, P. (2006). Female sex and oral contraceptive use accelerate nicotine metabolism. Clinical pharmacology & therapeutics, 79(5), 480-488. Binderup, A. T., Arendt-Nielsen, L., & Madeleine, P. (2010). Cluster analysis of pressure pain threshold maps from the trapezius muscle. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 13(6), 677-683. Bobos, P., Nazari, G., Lu, Z., & MacDermid, J. C. (2020). Measurement properties of the hand grip strength assessment: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 101(3), 553-565. Carrasco-Rios M, Ortolá R, Rodríguez-Artalejo F, García-Esquinas E. Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke is associated with reduced muscle strength in US adults. Aging (Albany NY). 2019 Dec 9;11(24):12674-12684. doi: 10.18632/aging.102594. Epub 2019 Dec 9. PMID: 31815682; PMCID: PMC6949081. Castien, R. F., van der Wouden, J. C., & De Hertogh, W. (2018). Pressure pain thresholds over the cranio-cervical region in headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The journal of headache and pain, 19(1), 9.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

May 25, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 5, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 7, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 21, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 28, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • KarabukFTR-2025/2563

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Data will be kept confidential and will not be shared with third parties.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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