Effects of vibration exposure on professional drivers: a field test for quantifying visual and cognitive performance

摘要

Effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure on professional drivers were predicted using a 45 subjects sampleof healthy volunteers from both genders. These volunteers preformed a visual/motor accuracy evaluation test, the ‘omega test’,inside a vehicle (van) under three different WBV exposure conditions, van halted, van performing a circuit on asphalt, and oncobblestone. WBV levels of the stated conditions were statistically different and impairment upon subjects’ performance wasfound. The statistical significant difference encountered between the subjects performance under the two whole-body vibrationprofiles (asphalt and cobblestone), seems to indicate that the vibration levels also represent a variable to be taken under consideration.No gender related difference was found.