Differences between the cutaneous two-point discrimination thresholds of chiropractic students at different stages in a 5-year course

Abstract

Objective: To investigate differences between the tactile acuity of the fingers measured at different stages in a chiropractic training course. Methods: Two-point discrimination (2-PD) thresholds for the skin of the dominant and nondominant index fingers and the dominant forearm were measured in 74 subjects taken from the 5 years of a chiropractic degree course. Measurements were made with modified electronic engineering callipers mounted on a lever arm, which allowed the points to be lowered onto the skin with a constant pressure. Analysis: Differences in the 2-PD measurements recorded among the year-groups were analyzed with 1-way analysis of variance and between the dominant and nondominant index fingers with the paired Student t test. Results: Students in years 4 and 5 of the course had significantly smaller mean 2-PD threshold values ( P < .05) for both dominant (year 5: 1.39 ± 0.06 mm) and nondominant (1.50 ± 0.08 mm) index fingers compared with students in year 1 (dominant mean, 1.66 ± 0.09 mm; nondominant mean, 1.80 ± 0.10 mm). There was no significant difference between the 2-PD thresholds measured on the forearm of any of the groups. When the data from all 5 years were grouped, the 2-PD thresholds for the dominant index finger (mean 1.52 ± 0.035 mm) was found to be significantly smaller (paired Student t test, P < .0001) than for the nondominant finger (mean 1.65 ± 0.038 mm, n = 74). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the tactile acuity of students in the later years of the course at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic is greater than that of students in the first year. This may be a result of the intensive training in palpatory techniques that the students receive during their course. However, this requires confirmation by further investigation. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2002;25:521-5)