Novel Assessment of Musculoskeletal Interoceptive Experience Associated with Gender and Function.

Background: Despite the importance of musculoskeletal interoception in regulating posture and movement, the utility of assessing interoceptive experience in musculoskeletal healthcare has not been previously investigated. Purpose: This study aims to explore whether interoceptive experience during muscle length testing of the lower limbs can provide relevant information on functionality and impairment of musculoskeletal structures. Methods: Interoceptive experiences during three lower extremity muscle length tests were classified as impaired or unimpaired across three sensory domains: location, distribution, and type. Data were gathered on participants' musculoskeletal health history, pain levels, pain beliefs, self-reported functional ability, and physical activity levels. An exploratory bivariate correlation table was used to assess the associations between interoceptive experience impairment (IEI) and the other covariates. Poisson Regression was then used to develop an adjusted prediction model for the sum IEI value. Results: The statistically significant associations with IEI were with gender (r = .310, p = .019) and self-reported functional ability (r = -.285, p = .030). The prediction model demonstrated that for every point decrease in the LEFS score, IEI is expected to increase by 2.1%, and being male is associated with an IEI score that is 23.4% lower than that expected in females. Discussion: Novel information is obtained relevant to gender and function by assessing musculoskeletal interoceptive experience. Clinicians should consider asking their patients about their bodily experience during musculoskeletal assessments beyond pain alone.