Standard reference value for tactile localization acuity in upper limb among the typically developing adolescents
Description
Tactile localization refers to the ability to detect the sensory contact point. Tactile localization is one of the standard tests that can be done as part of a combined cortical sensory evaluation. Till date there is no normal reference available for estimating tactile localization. To calculate the normative reference of TL among school going children aged between 13 to 17 years. one forty healthy school going children aged between 13 to 17 years were included in this cross sectional study. The sample was recruited by stratified random sampling method from Panipat, Ambala (Haryana). Anthropometric measurements were taken by using calibrated weighing machine and stadiometer. After that tactile localization acuity established by PPTL technique. In this technique the children were asked to relocate the point of contact made by investigator by using black or red marker pen over identified 12 areas. These 12 areas are Upper lateral arm (ULA), Lower lateral arm (LLA), Middle posterior arm (MPA), Mid medial arm (MMA), Mid medial forearm (MMF), Mid lateral forearm (MLF), Mid posterior forearm (MPF), Distal thumb (DT), Palmar little finger(PLF), Palmar distal long finger (PDL), First dorsal interosseous (FDI),Dorsal proximal long finger (DPL). After that the distance between the points made by investigator and children were measured by measuring tape in centimeters. Age, weight, height, BMI of the children recruited were 14.2 (14.0 to 14.5)years, 46.5 (45.4 to 49.8)kg ,158.3 (157.1 to 159.9)cm, 18.4(18.1 to 19.4)kg/m2 respectively. Reference norms for tactile localization acuity(cm) in ULA=1.8 (1.6 to 2.0); LLA= 1.8 (1.6 to 2); MPA= 1.8(1.6 to 2); MMA= 2.0 (1.8 to 2.2); MMF= 2.2 (2.0 to 2.5); MLF= 2.1 (1.9 to 2.4); MPF= 2.0 (1.8 to 2.3); DT=0.6 (0.5 to 0.7); PDL=0.5 (0.4 to 0.5); PLF= 0.5 (0.4 to 0.5); FDI=0.7 (0.6 to 0.8); DPL=0.8 (0.7 to 1.0) Conclusion- Normative reference score among children aged between 13 to 17 years have been established.