Influence of age, gender, height and education on vibration sense. A study by tuning fork in 192 normal subjects.

We measured perception time of the vibratory stimulus from a 128 cps tuning fork in 96 male and 96 female normal subjects equally subdivided into 8 age decades. The following sites were examined: clavicula, olecranon, styloid apophysis of ulna and radius, anterosuperior spina of ilium, rotula (patella), internal and external malleolus. Reproducibility between different examiners and between tests by the same examiner on different days was good. There was a marked regional variation with longer perception times at the distal regions of upper limbs. A non linear age-related decrease in vibration sense was found in all regions. Males had longer perception times at clavicula, females at distal limbs; the latter finding might be explained by shorter stature in females. Perception times at distal limbs were longer in subjects with higher education levels. The study provides normative data for vibration sense in different regions and defines the effects on it of age, gender, height and education.