title: Coordination of grip configurations as a function of force output.
abstract: In this investigation, the authors examined the coordination and control of force production by the digits of the hand as a function of criterion force level and grip configuration. Each adult participant (N = 6: 3 men and 3 women) was required to place the thumb and a finger (or fingers) upon load cells that were fixed to a grasping apparatus that was clamped to a table. In the task, participants had to match a criterion continuous constant total force level displayed on a computer screen. There were 10 trials at each grip configuration and criterion force level combination on each of 3 consecutive days. The results showed that (a) different grip configurations minimized error at each force level; (b) there was a specific digit pairing within a given grip configuration that produced the highest correlation of force output; (c) the correlation between the force output of digits generally increased at higher force levels; (d) error was reduced at each force level and grip configuration over the practice period; and (e) the organization of the force output of each digit varied as a function of digit, force level, grip configuration, and practice. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that coordination of the digits in prehension is reflective of an adaptive, task-specific solution that is modified with practice.
authors.affiliation: Department if Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, 146 Recreastion Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Newell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male