title: Finger-tapping motion analysis in cervical myelopathy by magnetic-sensor tapping device.
abstract: METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to determine finger motion of patients with cervical myelopathy during finger-tapping cycles.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  A major symptom of patients with compressive cervical myelopathy is finger clumsiness. Therefore, understanding finger motion is prerequisite in assessing the severity of myelopathy. The popular grip-and-release test evaluates only the number of motion cycles, which is insufficient to fully describe complex finger motion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three patients with cervical myelopathy and 41 healthy controls tapped their index fingers against their thumbs as rapidly as possible for 30 seconds and the motion was recorded by a magnetic-sensor coil attached to the nail surface. Output signals were stored in a computer, which automatically calculated tapping frequency, distance moved, ratio of opening/closing velocity and the SD of the tapping interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SD of the tapping interval was significantly greater and all other measures were significantly smaller in patients with cervical myelopathy, than in healthy controls. All indices significantly improved after surgical decompression of the cervical spine. Distance moved (Pearson correlation coefficient: r=0.590, P<0.001) and the SD of the tapping interval (r=-0.451; P=0.002) were significantly correlated with the Japanese Orthopedic Association score (neurological scale).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quantitative evaluation of finger paralysis was performed by this tapping device. Speed and regularity in repetitive motion of fingers were correlated with the severity of cervical myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kansai Rosai Hospital, Osaka, Japan. miwa.toshitada@gmail.com
authors.forename: Toshitada
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mukai
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kandori
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuji
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome