VIBROTACTILE SENSE AND HAND SYMPTOMS IN BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS IN A MANUFACTURING-INDUSTRY

Objectives-To study whether vibrotactile sense combined with questionn aires (subjective complaints) and a clinical examination (including sc oring of the Stockholm workshop scale (sensorineural staging)) could s erve as a screening procedure, in the health care service, for sensori neural symptoms. A group of blue collar workers exposed to vibration i n a manufacturing industry (rock crushing plants) was used as the stud y group. Another group of workers not exposed to vibration but subject ed to heavy manual work served as the control group. Methods-Vibrotact ile sense was determined. The index and the little fingers of both han ds were investigated. A clinical examination was performed. Questionna ires were used for exposure data and for assessment of symptoms. Resul ts-Important findings were that impairment in vibrotactile sense corre lated with impairment in grip force, cold sensitivity, and other senso rineural symptoms-such as numbness and tendency to drop items. Clinica l findings such as Phalen's test and two point discrimination were rel ated only in those workers with the poorest vibrotactile sense. There was a relation between vibrotactile sense and the Stockholm workshop s cale (sensorineural staging) for the sensorineural symptoms. Muscle an d joint problems were more often seen in workers with decreased vibort actile sense. Conclusions-Tactilometry for assessment of vibrotactile sense is a useful tool in assessing and evaluating the severity of vib ration induced neuromuscular symptoms and verifying the patients' clin ical complaints. Heavy manual work without exposure to vibration may c ontribute to impairment of vibrotactile sense. The relation between im pairment in vibrotactile sense and grip strength indicates that impair ed sensory feedback may contribute to muscle weakness.