Variation in human response to whole-body vibration

Abstract

Using the modified matching procedure described by Oborne and Humphreys (1976), individual sensation contours for vibration frequencies in the range 2-4 to 60 Hz were obtained from 100 subjects. In addition foot-head transmissibility ratios were obtained from each subject at each frequency, as well as EPI scores, and anthropometric data such as height, weight and chest circumference. A wide range of individual contour shapes was obtained, the distribution of shapes being slightly skewed towards a low linearity component. When all individual variables were included in a multiple regressional analysis, however, they accounted for only 37% of the variability in linearity. Implications of these findings are discussed.