Longitudinal study of suomussalmi forestry workers I - Vibrotactile thresholds

Authors

  • Anthony J. Brammer Ergonomic Technology Center, Univ. of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-2017, United States
  • Päivi Sutinen Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, North Karelia Central Hospital, FIN-80210 Joensuu, Finland
  • Esko Toppila Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, FIN-00250 Helsinki, Finland
  • Ilmari Pyykkö Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, FIN-33521 Tampere, Finland
  • Martin G. Cherniack Ergonomic Technology Center, Univ. of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-2017, United States
  • Marilyn J. Eaman Envir-O-Health Solutions, Ottawa, ON K1J 8W9, Canada
  • Donald R. Peterson Ergonomic Technology Center, Univ. of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-2017, United States
  • Jukka Starck Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, FIN-00250 Helsinki, Finland

Keywords:

Forestry workers, Longitudinal study, Prospective study, Skin temperatures, Statistical significance, Study Groups, Vibrotactile, Vibrotactile perception threshold

Abstract

A thirteen-year prospective study of an open cohort of forest workers aimed to report the changes in vibrotactile perception thresholds (VPT) observed at the fingertips of a subgroup of workers who reported for a required annual medical examination on 1990, 1995, and 2003. Vibrotactile thresholds were recorded at the fingertips with the subject seated, and with his forearm supported horizontally in a comfortable position. Skin temperature was recorded at the fingertips before the measurements commenced. and was maintained at ?27°C. Twenty-eight percent of the study group reported numbness in the hands at study inception, at which time the prevalence reported by the complete cohort was also 28%. The changes in acuity of this finger from 1995 to 2003 are found to have no statistical significance, except at 4 Hz.

Additional Files

Published

2011-06-01

How to Cite

1.
Brammer AJ, Sutinen P, Toppila E, Pyykkö I, Cherniack MG, Eaman MJ, Peterson DR, Starck J. Longitudinal study of suomussalmi forestry workers I - Vibrotactile thresholds. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2011 Jun. 1 [cited 2024 Apr. 23];39(2):18-9. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2336

Issue

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada

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