研究背景與目的：一般臨床上使用的體感覺測量結果常缺乏一致性，主要是因為傳統的體感覺測量方式只將感覺功能分類成三類（正常、受損，和不正常），而受試者的感覺功能屬於那一類型則完全是由測試者主觀評估的結果，因此為了要提供一個較客觀的方法來測量感覺功能，將測量量化是相當重要的。本篇研究的目的有二：(1)將振動覺和關節位置感覺作量化測量，(2)探討二種感覺的量化測量的信度。方法：受試者為46名健康的年輕人，其中23人參與振動覺測量；其餘的23人參與關節位置感覺測量。量化振動覺測量是由一個電子振動儀，藉由振動儀的振動器所產生的振動波來測量受試者於三個部位的振動覺閾值(VT)：大腳趾、踝外髁，和脛骨粗隆。關節位置感覺測量則是使用二個為傾斜儀的感應器來測量即時性的關節角度變化。本體感覺的施測部位分別為膝和踝二個關節。測量方法有二：相對關節位置感覺（受試者以非測試腳來對應測試腳所被移動到的角度的能力）；重現性關節位置感覺（受試者以測試腳主動重複被試角度的能力）。振動覺和關節位置感覺的測量在每一種不同的參數設定下都反覆測量三次，且一次測量完畢。結果：振動覺的反覆測量結果的相關性很高(ICC: 0.88∼0.93)，而所測量出來的VT在大腳趾、踝外髁，和脛骨粗隆分別為：0.40±0.15, 0.42±0.17，以及0.65±0.16 mm。關節位置感覺的反覆測量結果並不一致(ICC: 0.11∼0.70)；而角度差的絕對值（即測試角度與受試者實際移動角度相減後取絕對值的數值）與零有統計上的顯著差異(p<0.01)，其數值範圍介於2.4∼5.9°；比較二種不同的本體感覺測量方法時，只有低到中等程度的相關性(r=-0.17∼0.65)。結論：振動覺的測量結果重現性很高，但關節位置感覺的測量結果變異性很大。量化的振動覺測量所得到的振動覺閾值可以判斷在臨床上檢查體感覺功能表現的異常。（物理治療2003;28(3):129-138）

Background and Purpose: Clinical somatosensory examinations tend to be lack of consistence due to the tripartite grading (normal, impaired, absent) and the subjective judgment made by the rater. To provide a more quantitative method for evaluating sensory function is very important. The purposes of this study were to 1) measure vibration and joint position sense quantitatively; 2) assess the test-retest reliability of both measurements. Methods: Forty-six healthy young subjects were recruited. Half of them participated in the vibration sense test, and the rest joined the position sense measurement. Vibration sense was measured by an electronic vibrator, which could produce a vibratory wave on the tissue. Vibration threshold (VT), the average amplitude of perception and disappearance threshold, was tested at big toe, lateral malleolus, and tibial tuberosity. Joint position sense was measured by two electronic inclinometers at knee and ankle joint, and the data connecting to a computer could provide a real-time measurement of the joint angles. Relative proprioception (RP, the ability to reproduce the angle by using the contralateral leg as the gauge), and reproduction of passive positioning (RPP, the ability to reproduce actively the position of the lower leg using the same tested leg for repositioning) of the ankle and knee joints were measured. Three repetitions were made for each test parameter in both vibration and position sense measurements within one session. Results: Vibration sense was highly reproducible for the three test sites (ICC: 0.88∼0.93). The VT were 0.40±0.15, 0.42±0.17, and 0.65±0.16 mm for big toe, lateral malleolus, and tibial tuberosity. The repeated measurements for the joint position sense were not consistent (ICC: 0.11~0.70). The differences between the reference and the tested limb were different from zero (p<0.01) and ranged from 2.4°∼5.9°. When comparing the two measuring methods for joint position sense, there were only small to moderate correlations (r=-0.17 to 0.65). Conclusion: Vibration sense was reproducible whereas the joint position sense was variable in young healthy adults. The quantitative measurement of vibration sense would be useful to identify impairments in the somatosensory function clinically. (FJPT 2003;28(3):129-138)