Diabetics with neuropathy have seven fold increased risk of foot ulcerations. Diabetics are also exposed to 15 fold higher risk of amputation of lower extremities compared to the general population. Vibration perception has been shown to be strongly associated with foot ulceration. Vibration Perception Threshold determination by using a Biothesiometer has been used to identify peripheral sensory neuropathy and subjects at risk of foot ulcerations.
The Bio-Thesiometer is an instrument designed to measure simply and accurately the threshold of appreciation of vibration in human subjects. It helps to detect and quantify early sensory loss in patients with diabetes.
The Bio-Thesiometer is used as a research device in many neurological diseases especially during diabetes. It is essentially an “electrical tuning fork” whose amplitude may be set to any predetermined level or whose amplitude may be gradually increased until the threshold of vibratory sensation is reached.