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Related Concept Videos

Muscle Coordination and Action01:24

Muscle Coordination and Action

Muscle coordination is a complex and finely tuned process essential for smooth and purposeful movements like flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and rotation. The human body orchestrates the actions of various muscles working in concert, each with a specific role. Four functional types describe how muscles work together: agonist, antagonist, synergist, and fixator.
Agonists
Agonist muscles, often called prime movers, are the primary muscles responsible for producing a specific movement.
Muscles of the Forearm that Move the Hand and Fingers01:16

Muscles of the Forearm that Move the Hand and Fingers

The muscles of the forearm that move the wrist, hand, and digits are numerous and diverse. They can be classified into two groups based on their location and function — the anterior and posterior compartment muscles.
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment muscles originate from the humerus. They primarily function as flexors and are also known as flexor muscles. They typically insert on the carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges. The superficial layer includes the flexor carpi radialis,...
Muscles that Move the Forearm01:16

Muscles that Move the Forearm

The muscles that move the forearms can be divided into four groups: forearm flexors, forearm extensors, forearm pronators, and forearm supinators. The flexors and extensors act on the elbow joint, while the pronators and supinators act on the radioulnar joints.
Forearm Flexors
The biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis are forearm flexors. The biceps brachii is made up of two heads. Its long head originates at the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, whereas that of the short head is...
Muscles that Move the Arm01:31

Muscles that Move the Arm

Nine muscles are involved in arm movements. Two of these, the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi, originate from the axial skeleton and are called axial muscles. The other seven originate from the scapula and are called the scapular muscles.
The pectoralis major has two origins. Its clavicular head originates on the medial half of the clavicle. In contrast, the sternocostal head originates on the costal cartilages of ribs 1-6, the sternum, and the aponeurosis of the external oblique of the...
Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna01:15

Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna

The ulna and radius are parallel bones of the antebrachium or the forearm. The ulna lies medially and consists of a bony tip called the olecranon process at its proximal end. This hook-like projection articulates with the olecranon fossa of the humerus and forms the "hinged" ulnohumeral part of the elbow joint. This joint facilitates forearm extension and flexion while preventing its hyperextension. Similarly, the coronoid process, another bony projection on the proximal/anterior side of the...
Spinal Nerves: Plexus I01:22

Spinal Nerves: Plexus I

Nerve plexuses are networks of interlacing nerves that serve as communication hubs to distribute and organize nerve action across various body regions. The nerve plexuses are organized into the cervical plexus located in the neck region, brachial plexus in the shoulder area, lumbar plexus found in the lower back, sacral plexus situated in the pelvis, and coccygeal plexus located in the coccygeal region.
The Cervical Plexus
The cervical plexus, formed by the anterior rami of the first four...

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Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
09:48

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Published on: September 11, 2017

Multifinger ab- and adduction strength and coordination.

Todd C Pataky1, Mark L Latash, Vladimir M Zatsiorsky

  • 1School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. tpataky@liv.ac.uk

Journal of Hand Therapy : Official Journal of the American Society of Hand Therapists
|November 14, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study reveals that finger spreading and squeezing forces differ between sexes and directions. Multifinger force measurements offer unique insights into hand function beyond individual finger strength.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Human motor control
  • Hand function analysis

Background:

  • Finger abduction and adduction are crucial for grasping.
  • Previous research has not fully detailed forces during multifinger movements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively describe finger forces during simultaneous multifinger abduction and adduction (AbAd).
  • To investigate gender differences and coordination patterns in AbAd tasks.
  • To determine if multifinger force production is predictable from single-finger strength.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty-one healthy participants (12 female) performed maximal AbAd efforts.
  • A specialized apparatus with four independent multiaxis force transducers measured individual finger forces.
  • Total force was calculated as the sum of absolute individual finger forces.

Main Results:

  • Males exhibited significantly greater maximal AbAd forces than females.
  • Adduction (squeezing) forces were significantly higher than abduction (spreading) forces.
  • Relative finger force contributions were consistent across genders, suggesting strength does not dictate coordination.
  • Multifinger AbAd forces were coordinated symmetrically and not predictable from single-finger strengths.

Conclusions:

  • Multifinger force production in AbAd tasks demonstrates coordinated patterns independent of individual finger strength.
  • Measuring multifinger AbAd forces provides unique insights into hand function not obtainable from single-finger tests.
  • This research establishes a novel method for assessing complex hand motor control.