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Vibrotactile perception sensitivity and its relation to hand-arm vibration exposure
R Lundström1, T Nilsson, L Burström
1National Institute for Working Life, Division of Technical Industrial Hygiene, Umeå, Sweden.
Central European Journal of Public Health
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Occupational hand-arm vibration exposure may degrade vibrotactile perception (VPT), particularly at higher frequencies. This study suggests an exposure-response relationship, indicating increased risk with higher vibration exposure levels.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Hand-arm vibration (HAV) is prevalent in heavy engineering.
- Assessing its impact on sensory perception is crucial for worker health.
- Vibrotactile perception thresholds (VPT) are key indicators of sensory function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate VPT and sensitivity index (SI) in relation to occupational HAV exposure.
- To determine if a dose-response relationship exists between vibration exposure and sensory degradation.
- To investigate specific frequency ranges and their correlation with vibration exposure.
Main Methods:
- Measured VPT across seven frequencies (8-500 Hz) in 170 male engineering workers.
- Assessed 125 participants with current or past HAV exposure.
- Graded VPT and SI based on exposure levels and compared across groups.
Main Results:
- No clear individual correlation between vibration exposure and degraded VPT was found.
- A group-based tendency towards deteriorated VPTs was observed with increasing exposure categories.
- The most significant deterioration occurred in the Pacinian corpuscle frequency range (63-500 Hz).
- Relative risk for elevated VPT was ~4x higher in the highest exposure category.
- Relative risk for abnormal SI was ~6x higher in the highest exposure category.
Conclusions:
- Results suggest an exposure-response relationship between occupational HAV and vibrotactile sensory impairment.
- Pacinian corpuscle-mediated frequencies are particularly sensitive to vibration damage.
- Findings highlight the importance of managing HAV exposure to prevent neurological deficits.