title: Visual estimation of finger angles: do we need goniometers?
abstract: Seventy-one plastic surgeons and therapists, of varying levels of seniority and experience, were asked to examine a resin cast of an adult male hand and use estimation to measure the angles of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints of each digit. Visual estimation by all subjects was inaccurate by a mean of approximately 25% (median percentage error 22, range 1-100). Consultants were the most accurate, whilst physiotherapists were the least. Regular goniometer users were no more accurate. However, hand surgery experience correlated with accuracy, as did a stated interest in hand surgery. Although visual accuracy improves with experience, it is still an inaccurate technique. We, therefore, recommend that goniometers should be used for measuring angles in hand surgery patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Queen Victoria Hospital, Holtye Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3DZ, UK. dr.vic@arsenalfc.net
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Nduka
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pickford
authors.forename: H J C R
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Belcher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D009983:Orthopedic Equipment; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014796:Visual Perception