Functional sensibility assessment. Part I: develop a reliable apparatus to assess momentary pinch force control.
A precise magnitude and timing control of pinch performance is based on accurate feed-forward and feedback control mechanisms. Ratio of peak pinch force and maximum load force during a functional performance is a sensitive parameter to reflect the ability to scale pinch force output according to actual loads. A pinch apparatus was constructed to detect momentary pinch force modulation of 20 subjects with normal hand sensation. The results indicated high intra-class correlation coefficient and small coefficient of variation of the detected force ratio among three repeated tests, which represented that the stability test of the measured response confirmed the feasibility of this apparatus. The force ratio for a 480 g object with a steel surface ranged between 1.77 and 1.98. Normal subjects were able to scale and contribute pinch force precisely to a pinch-holding-up test. This study may provide clinicians a reliable apparatus and method to analyze the recovery of functional sensibility in patients with nerve injuries.
Chiu
Haw-Yen
HY
Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Hsu
Hsiu-Yun
HY
Kuo
Li-Chieh
LC
Chang
Jer-Hao
JH
Su
Fong-Chin
FC
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult