Tactile acuity and temporal summation as measures of central sensitisation in individuals with adhesive capsulitis: a pilot study

Introduction This study aimed to assess and compare tactile acuity and temporal summation between individuals with unilateral adhesive capsulitis and healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Methods A cross-sectional study was undertaken. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, participants were recruited from tertiary care hospitals. The study consisted of two groups: 16 participants in the adhesive capsulitis group and 16 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals in the control group. A two-point discriminator was used to assess tactile acuity, and a nylon monofilament was used to assess temporal summation. Results The Mann–Whitney U test was used to analyse the data. The results showed a significant difference in tactile acuity values in the anterior (<i>p</i> < 0.001), middle (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and posterior (<i>p</i> = 0.001) aspects of the shoulder between the adhesive capsulitis and control groups. A significant difference in temporal summation (<i>p</i> < 0.001) was also observed between the adhesive capsulitis and control groups. Conclusions The study demonstrated altered tactile acuity and temporal summation in individuals with adhesive capsulitis compared to healthy age- and gender-matched controls. These findings suggest that adhesive capsulitis may be accompanied by maladaptive neuroplastic changes, leading to central sensitisation.