PTOTCohortInternational journal of sports physical therapy2025

Symptom Duration is not Related to Central Sensitization Inventory in Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy.

Morgan N Potter, Hayley Powell Smitheman, Katie Butera and 2 others

PMID 40322520

WHAT IT FOUND

Symptom duration did not correlate with central sensitization scores in people with midportion Achilles tendinopathy.

Only 4.9% of the 182 participants scored above the clinical cutoff for likely central sensitization.

Key findings

01Only 4.9% of participants met the clinical cutoff for likely central sensitization, and none of them were male.

02There was no significant correlation between symptom duration and Central Sensitization Inventory scores.

03Symptom severity and pain intensity showed weak correlations with Central Sensitization Inventory scores, suggesting they are not strong indicators of central sensitization in this population.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs

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What it does not show

The Central Sensitization Inventory is a screening tool, not a diagnostic test, and has not been validated specifically for Achilles tendinopathy. The study used baseline data from a clinical trial, so the sample may not represent all individuals with Achilles tendinopathy. Correlations between symptom severity/pain intensity and CSI scores were weak, limiting their clinical utility for identifying central sensitization. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine causality between symptom duration and pain processing changes.

Declared interests

The authors have no disclosures to report.

The easy way to misread this

Do not interpret the weak correlations between pain severity and CSI scores as evidence that central sensitization drives symptoms in most patients. The primary finding is that symptom duration does not correlate with central sensitization, and less than 5% of the cohort met the screening cutoff.

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