A new perspective in the understanding of hand dysfunction following neurological injury

The human hand is inherently complex and versatile. Its use in everyday activities requires its careful positioning relative to the arm and fine adjustments of the fingers to secure the object in the hand to perform a desired task. Understanding the mechanics of prehension requires an appreciation of the anatomy, biomechanics, kinematics, and control of the hand. This article summarizes these complex mechanisms as well as the central nervous system control of hand movement. We propose a measure to characterize the biomechanics of palmar arch modulation during grasping. We also highlight questions to be investigated in future studies to stimulate further understanding of the motor control of hand function and of the recovery of hand functioning after neurological injury.