Objective: The present study examined the effect of the vibration syndrome (VS) on the peripheral nervous system in the lower extremities.
Methods: Thirty-eight patients with VS due to previous exposure to vibration from chain-saw work and 55 age-matched controls were
examined for sensory nerve conduction velocities in the medial plantar nerve (SCV-P). The patient group was divided into two
subgroups, one with (
n=19) and the other without vibration-induced white finger (VWF;
n=19).
Results: Analysis of variance of SCV-P for the three groups showed significant difference (
F
2,89=10.65,
P < 0.0001). A significant difference was found between the controls and the VWF
+ group (
P < 0.0001) but not between the controls and the VWF
− group (
P=0.0508) by multiple comparison using Scheffe's method.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that VS affects the peripheral nervous system function in the lower extremities via mediation of circulatory
disturbance manifested as VWF.
Key words Vibration syndrome - Chain-saw operator - Vibration-induced white finger - Sensory nerve conduction velocity - Medial plantar nerve
Received: 7 May 1998 / Accepted: 15 June 1999