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Tremor, effect of physical load and reproducibility
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal
|September 1, 1986
Summary
Moderate physical exertion minimally impacts middle finger tremor, making it a negligible factor when studying toxic exposure effects. Mean frequency is a sensitive tremor parameter for epidemiologic research.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human Physiology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Postural tremor is a physiological response influenced by various factors.
- Understanding confounding variables is crucial for accurate toxic exposure assessment.
- Quantifying tremor variability is essential for reliable scientific studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of moderate physical loads on middle finger tremor.
- To assess the variability of tremor measurements within and between individuals.
- To determine the suitability of tremor parameters for toxic exposure studies.
Main Methods:
- Eight males underwent three types of moderate physical loads: general dynamic, local dynamic, and static.
- Finger tremor was analyzed using RMS acceleration and power spectrum.
- Inter- and intra-individual tremor variations were assessed over four weeks in males and females.
Main Results:
- Local dynamic load caused a 10% decrease in RMS acceleration.
- General dynamic load induced changes in the tremor power spectrum.
- Intra-individual variation ranged from 4% (mean frequency) to 35% (0-4 Hz power spectrum).
- Inter-individual variation ranged from 8% (mean frequency) to over 60% (specific frequency bands).
Conclusions:
- Moderate, short-term physical loads have a negligible effect on postural tremor.
- Mean tremor frequency is a sensitive parameter for epidemiologic studies on toxic exposure.
- Tremor analysis requires consideration of significant inter- and intra-individual variations.