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At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Grip posture and forces during holding cylindrical objects with circular grips.

Individual finger position and external grip forces were investigated while subjects held cylindrical objects from above using circular precision grips. Healthy females (n = 11) and males (n = 15) lifted cylindrical objects of various weights (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 kg), and varied diameters (5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 cm) using the 5-finger grip mode. The effects of 4-, 3- and 2-finger grip modes in the circular grip were also investigated. Individual finger position was nearly constant for all weights and for diameters of 5.0 and 7.5 cm. The mean angular positions for the index, middle, ring and little fingers relative to the thumb were 98 degrees, 145 degrees, 181 degrees, and 236 degrees, respectively. At the 10-cm diameter, the index and middle finger positions increased, while the ring and little finger positions decreased. There were no differences in individual finger position with regard to gender, hand dimension, or hand strength. Total grip force increased with weight, and at diameters greater or lesser than 7.5 cm. Total grip force also increased as the number of fingers used for grasping decreased. Although the contribution of the individual fingers to the total grip force changed with weight and diameter, the thumb contribution always exceeded 38% followed by the ring and little fingers, which contributed approximately 18-23% for all weights and diameters. The contribution of the index finger was always smallest (> or = 11%). There was no gender difference for any of the grip force variables. The effects of hand dimension and hand strength on the individual finger grip forces were subtle.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

The Framingham Eye Study. II. Association of ophthalmic pathology with single variables previously measured in the Framingham Heart Study.

Using the age-sex-specific data collected in the Framingham Heart Study 1948--1964 together with ophthalmic diagnoses made in the Framingham Eye Study in 1973--1975, the following variables were found to be associated with senile cataract: education, casual blood sugar, systemic blood pressure, height, vital capacity, serum phospholipid and hand strength; with senile macular degeneration: systemic blood pressure, height, vital capacity, left ventricular hypertrophy, hand strength and history of lung infection; with diabetic retinopathy: casual blood sugar, urine sugar and other specific elements of diabetes; with ocular hypertension: systemic blood pressure, height, casual blood sugar and pulse rate. No variables were identified as associated with open-angle glaucoma. The paper stresses the need for corroboration of these findings, which may be a mix of real and chance associations, and the need for additional analyses before any of these associations are considered evidence of factors related to risk of ophthalmic disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Grip and pinch strength: norms for 6- to 19-year-olds.

The purpose of this study was to establish normative data for 6- to 19-year-olds on four tests of hand strength. The Jamar dynamometer was used to measure grip strength and a pinch gauge was used to measure tip, key, and palmar pinch. A sample of 231 males and 240 females from the seven-county Milwaukee area was tested, using standardized positioning and instructions. Results of this study indicate that increases in grip and pinch strength coincide with increases in chronological age, that males are stronger than females in all age groups, and that hand dominance does not significantly affect hand strength scores. Normative data collected in this study were slightly higher than norms from previous American and Australian studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Motor and sighting dominance in schizophrenia and affective disorder. Evidence for right-hand grip strength prominence in paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar illness.

Unusually frequent sinistral motor and sighting dominance have sometimes been reported in schizophrenics, although the majority of patients are still dextral. In this study, assessment of lateral dominance also included a measure of grip strength--a potentially more sensitive index of dominance or lateralised impairment; schizophrenics, non-schizophrenic patients (affective disorder), and normal controls were studied. There were no differences in handedness or sighting dominance. Affective patients, particularly bipolar psychotics, had greater right-handed grip superiority than normals or non-paranoid schizophrenics. Paranoid schizophrenics were similar, being significantly greater in right-sided dominance than non-paranoids, who tended toward a smaller value than normals. Hand grip asymmetry was highly correlated with handedness in normals, but not in patients. The possibility is discussed that these results may reflect asymmetrical patterns of cerebral impairment or attentional bias.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effects of aging on adult hand function.

The effects that normal aging have on adult hand function and functional performance are not well understood. An empirical study was conducted examining relationships between prehension pattern type and frequency, hand strength, and performance time in functional tasks. Four groups of 10 adults were selected by age and gender, ranging from 24 to 87 years. Subjects were asked to pour milk into a cup and remove money from a wallet while being videotaped. Prehension patterns were identified with a functionally based classification system. Grip and three types of pinch were measured with a dynamometer and a pinch gauge. Prehension pattern selection did not seem to differ with age. Statistically significant differences in age were found for prehension pattern frequency, hand strength, and performance time. Nondysfunctional older subjects were observed resetting identical prehension patterns secondary to lateral pinch weakness, which contributed to increased prehension pattern frequency and performance time. Hand function seemed to remain stable until age 65 years, after which it diminished slowly. After age 75 years, age differences in performance were most apparent.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Red-blood-cell potassium and hand-grip strength in healthy elderly people.

Red-blood-cell potassium (RBCK) as an indicator of body potassium status was measured in 103 healthy elderly subjects over the age of 65 years. There was no correlation between RBCK and grip strength. The only significant predictors of grip strength were age and sex. The RBCK values formed a single normal distribution. There was no hypokalaemic subpopulation such as would be expected if potassium deficiency were common in these old people.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Transcranial magnetic stimulation after pure motor stroke.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the sensitivity of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in demonstrating the possible subclinical impairment of the corticospinal pathway after recovery, in patients with a clinical history of pure motor stroke (PMS) due to a single lacunar infarct detectable by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: MEPs were recorded from the first dorsal interosseous muscle of 20 healthy subjects and 40 patients, 6 months or more after PMS onset. Patients were evaluated clinically by means of the NIH stroke scale, the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and the Barthel Index. The patients with full hand strength recovery and the normal controls were also tested by means of the 9-hole peg test. RESULTS: Motor threshold (MT), MEP amplitude and central motor conduction time (CMCT) of the affected side were significantly different from those of the normal side and of the control subjects. MT, MEP amplitude and CMCT obtained after stimulation of the affected hemisphere were significantly correlated with the MRC scale values of the affected hand. Eighty-six percent of patients with persistent hand strength deficit showed MEP abnormalities. In 21 patients with complete clinical recovery, a significant increase in MT and decrease in MEP amplitude on the affected side were observed. CONCLUSIONS: After PMS, neurophysiological changes may persist despite complete clinical recovery. TMS represents a sensitive tool that enables to demonstrate objectively the clinical and subclinical impairment of the corticospinal pathway.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Delayed recovery of hand grip strength predicts postoperative morbidity following major vascular surgery.

Forearm muscle dynamometry was performed in the non-dominant arm in 61 patients undergoing major abdominal and limb vascular surgery, before operation and then 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after surgery. Six patients died in the postoperative period and seven patients developed major postoperative complications (bronchopneumonia, two; wound infection, four; myocardial infarction, one). The preoperative grip strength, measured in kilograms, of the patients who died after major vascular surgery was not significantly lower than that of patients who had an uncomplicated postoperative course. Of the 55 surviving patients, seven developed complications after surgery. These patients had significantly reduced grip strength, expressed as a percentage of the individual preoperative value (P less than 0.05), from the first to the seventh postoperative day when compared with patients without complications. The delayed recovery of grip strength preceded the clinical manifestation of complications. These data suggest that delayed recovery of voluntary muscle performance may be used to detect patients developing postoperative complications and so allow their early treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Measuring hand intrinsic muscle strength: normal values and interrater reliability.

BACKGROUND: The intrinsic muscles of the hand are of interest in spinal cord injury (SCI) and other myelopathies, because they are innervated by the most caudal cord segments innervating the upper limb. In addition, abnormalities of the peripheral nervous system, such as peripheral nerve entrapments, often affect hand intrinsic muscle strength of SCI patients. Therefore, measuring hand intrinsic strength may allow for early diagnosis of neurologic decline. METHODS: A method was developed for measuring strength of hand intrinsic muscles with a handheld myometer. With the use of a handheld myometer, this study examined the distribution of strength measurements for second-digit abductors, fifth-digit abductors, and thumb opposers in able-bodied participants and in individuals with weakness. The quantitative measurements were compared with manual muscle test scores and interrater reliability is described for these hand intrinsic strength measurements. Thirty-one able-bodied individuals participated (17 men, 14 women; mean age = 37.7 years). In addition, 24, patients with SCI participated (23 men, 1 woman; mean age = 53.5 years; 9 with paraplegia and 14 with tetraplegia as a primary diagnosis). The Bland-Altman method was used to test for interrater reliability. RESULTS: Mean strength of able-bodied participants was 5.0 kg for second-digit abduction, 3.1 kg for fifth-digit abduction, and 5.0 kg for thumb opposition, and the lower limits of normal were 3.0, 1.8, and 3.4 kg, respectively. The 95th percentile of interrater differences were 29.3% for second-digit abduction, 38.5% for fifth-digit abduction, and 43.7% for thumb opposition. CONCLUSION: Abnormal hand intrinsic strength should be suspected if values are lower than the 5th percentile values listed above or if strength change exceeds the 95th percentile for interrater differences shown above. These quantitative hand strength measurements may allow for earlier diagnosis of secondary neurologic complications and may aid in monitoring neurologic recovery in persons with SCI.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Thermotherapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Heat and cold therapy are often used as adjuncts in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by rehabilitation specialists. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of heat and cold on objective and subjective measures of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched Medline, Embase, PEDro, Current Contents, Sports Discus and CINAHL up to June 2000. The Cochrane Field of Rehabilitation and related therapies and the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group were also contacted for a search of their specialized registers. Handsearching was conducted on all retrieved articles for additional articles. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized or controlled clinical trials of ice or heat compared to placebo or active interventions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and case-control and cohort studies were eligible. No language restrictions were applied. Abstracts were accepted. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers identified potential articles from the literature search. These reviewers extracted data using pre-defined extraction forms. Consensus was reached on all data extraction. Quality was assessed by two reviewers using a 5 point scale that measured the quality of randomization, double-blinding and description of withdrawals. MAIN RESULTS: Three studies (79 subjects) met the inclusion criteria. There was no effect on objective measures of disease activity (including inflammation, pain and x-ray measured joint destruction) of either ice versus control or heat versus control. Patients reported that they preferred heat therapy to no therapy (94% like heat therapy better than no therapy). There was no difference in patient preference for heat or ice. No harmful effects of ice or heat were reported. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Since patients enjoy thermotherapy, and there are no harmful effects, thermotherapy should be recommended as a therapy which can be applied at home as needed to relieve pain. There is no need for further research on the effects of heat or cold for RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed2005

Fibers connecting the primary motor and sensory areas play a role in grasp stability of the hand.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the function of fibers that connect the hand area of the primary motor and sensory cortices. A 63-year-old male with a metastatic brain tumor located in the left primary motor area underwent awake surgery. During removal of the tumor, the posterior end of the primary motor cortex, including the fibers between the motor and sensory cortex, was resected, as confirmed by 3D reconstruction of fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Preoperative fMRI with right hand clenching revealed activation in the area around the tumor in the primary motor area. Postoperative fMRI with right hand clenching showed posterior shift of the activation to the sensory area. In contrast, 3D reconstruction of fMRI and DTI with left hand clenching showed activation of cortex corresponding to the motor and sensory hand area. Postoperative neurological examination revealed no change in right hand strength, but the patient complained of decrease right hand grasp stability when he concentrated on using his left hand. These findings suggest that the fibers connecting the primary hand motor and sensory areas play a role in the hand grasp stability.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1981

Familial handedness and sex differences in strength of hand preference.

Handedness inventory scores and details of familial handedness were obtained for 54 males and 71 females. For males the handedness distributions of subjects with and without familial sinistrality (FS) did not differ significantly. For females more extreme handedness scores were observed for subjects with FS in both left and right handed ranges of the handedness distribution. Sex differences in handedness were apparent only in subjects with FS, where females displayed more extreme scores at both ends of the distribution. These results are discussed in terms of possible genetic, environmental and other influences on the expression of manual asymmetry and it is concluded that at present we have insufficient information to be able to adequately explain variations in handedness in terms of one or more such influences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Determinations of strength of synthetic hydroxyapatite ceramic implants.

To study the physical strengths of various types of synthetic high porosity hydroxyapatite plates, we constructed samples of a fixed shape, 8 X 25 mm in size, with varying degrees of thickness (3 to 10 mm) and porosity (40, 50, and 60 percent), as well as samples with varying degrees of curvature and samples constructed with computer-aided design-computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology based on a real-size model made with laser lithography from computed tomography data. The strength of the samples was studied with the three-point bending test and crush tests. Studies showed that strength decreases with increasing porosity and increases with increasing thickness. In addition, results of testing plates of varying shapes and degrees of curvature revealed that the effects of these variations were small and that when the width and thickness were held constant, changing the curvature of the entire unit (from a height of 20 to 30 mm) or altering both sides had no remarkable effect on strength. On the other hand, strength testing of plates of various shapes and thicknesses constructed from clinical computed tomography data revealed that minimum optimization of the parameters was achieved when plates had a porosity of about 40 percent and a thickness of about 8 mm.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗