The Sensational Contributions of Erik Moberg

Abstract

Erik Moberg is the father of functional sensory testing. During the past three decades, his research into quantitative testing of hand sensibility has provided the insight to bring us from classic academic tests (permitting localisation of lesions within the central nervous system) to clinical capability of restoring sensation to the hand. He introduced the Ninhydrin test to document objectively innervation. He defined hand function as precision-sensory and gross-sensory grips. He correlated Weber two-point discrimination with hand function. He introduced the pick-up test to document hand function. He coined the term “tactile gnosis”. He hypothesised that proprioception is principally due to skin, not joint, afferents. He classified the tetraplegic hand according to its combined sensory and motor capacity. He set the standard for sensory recovery after primary nerve repair, relating recovered two-point discrimination to age (Önne’s line) and he inspired the present generation of researchers to quantify their own studies of sensation.