Evaluation of exploration time, accuracy, and task difficulty perception in three tactile tests among physiotherapy students.
Nataša Mlakar, Sonja Hlebš
PMID 39953824WHAT IT FOUND
Final-year physiotherapy students spent significantly more time exploring complex wooden shapes than first-years, but their drawing accuracy was no better.
Both groups struggled with complex figures, suggesting classroom practice on simple props does not automatically improve tactile precision.
Key findings
01Final-year students spent significantly more time exploring two of the three geometric structures compared to first-year students.
02There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in drawing time, accuracy, or perceived difficulty of the tasks.
03Both groups showed high accuracy on the simplest shape but poor accuracy on the more complex shapes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used wooden shapes, which do not mimic the feel of human tissue. The sample size was small (40 students). Accuracy was judged by a single rater using a scale that has not been validated. The final-year students had varying levels of clinical experience, which was not controlled for.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that final-year students are better palpators than first-years. They spent more time exploring the complex shapes but were no more accurate in reproducing them, and the test used wooden props rather than human tissue.