Vibration sensitivity as a parameter for detecting peripheral neuropathy. I. Results in healthy workers.

Two methods of evaluating the threshold for vibration perception were compared. Surprisingly it appears that the theoretically attractive, adaptive forced choice method does not result in lower variability than the method of limits. Moreover two devices were used to evaluate the threshold: the Optacon Tactile Tester and the "multirod". Based on the characteristics of these devices and the known properties of mechanoreceptors, it is argued that the two devices test different mechanoreceptor systems. The high correlation of threshold with age (r = 0.9) found by Arezzo and Schaumburg in measurements with the Optacon could not be reproduced.