Grasping naturally versus grasping with a reacher in people without disability: motor control and muscle activation differences.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated motor control and muscle activation when reaching for and grasping objects with a reacher compared with the unaided hand.


METHODS
In a repeated-measures counterbalanced design, 41 healthy participants with no previous experience using a reacher were randomly assigned to a sequence of four conditions. Movements of the wrist and fingers were recorded using a three-dimensional Qualisys camera system for assessing reach and grasp. Muscle activations from finger and arm flexors and extensors were recorded by surface electromyography.


RESULTS
Participants exhibited a smaller grasp aperture, longer reaching time, and more muscle activity when they used a reacher.


CONCLUSIONS
Efficient motor control, which requires both time and practice, is needed to successfully use a reacher. Clients presented with reachers without sufficient time to develop motor skills unique to reacher use may be more likely to abandon this assistive device and fail to benefit from its function.
Occupational Therapy Department, Rush University Medical Center, 600 South Paulina, Suite 1011, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Kinsuk_Maitra@rush.edu
Kinsuk K
KK
Maitra
Katherine
K
Philips
Martin S
MS
Rice
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004576:Electromyography; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D009820:Ohio; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D055815:Young Adult