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New method of assessing pinch function in children with anomalies of the hands
Kousuke Iba1, Takuro Wada, Mitsuhiro Aoki
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Japan. iba@sapmed.ac.jp
Insights
This study introduces a tape measure method for evaluating children's pinch function, proving effective for assessing congenital anomalies. The method correlates well with parental assessments, offering a practical tool for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Rehabilitative Medicine
- Hand Function Assessment
Background:
- Evaluating pinch function in children is crucial for assessing outcomes of congenital anomaly surgeries.
- Existing methods may lack practicality or objective measures suitable for pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a novel tape measure-based method for assessing pediatric pinch function.
- To investigate the correlation between this new method and parental preoperative and postoperative assessments.
Main Methods:
- A tape measure was adapted for evaluating pinch function in children with congenital anomalies.
- A 5-point scoring system was developed based on different pinch grip types.
- Correlation analyses were performed between tape measure scores and parental evaluations.
Main Results:
- The tape measure method showed a significant difference in preoperative scores between unimpaired and impaired groups, aligning with parental evaluations.
- Preoperative tape measure scores correlated significantly with parental preoperative assessments.
- Postoperative improvements in tape measure scores correlated with parental assessments of improvement.
Conclusions:
- The tape measure method is a practical and reliable tool for evaluating pinch function in children with congenital anomalies.
- This method effectively reflects parental perceptions of functional improvement.
- It offers a valuable, objective assessment for pediatric hand surgery outcomes.
Abstract:
We designed a method for the evaluation of pinch function in children that uses a tape measure, which is suitable in size and weight for the infant's hand. Our aim was to investigate the value of the tape measure in the evaluation of pinch function in children. Thirty-two hands of 27 children with congenital anomalies that we operated on in our hospital were included. The assessment of pinch function was made using a tape measure. The criteria were evaluated as follows: grasp = 1; push button = 2; pinch the end of the measuring tape = 3; pull out tape by side pinch = 4; and pull out tape by pulp pinch = 5. We assessed the relation between the scoring by tape measure and parents' preoperative assessment. We also examined the relations between the increase in score evaluated by the tape measure method and parents' assessment of postoperative improvement in pinch function. The mean preoperative score by the tape measure assessment of pinch function in the unimpaired group according to the parents' evaluation was significantly higher than that in the impaired group. Preoperative evaluation using the tape measure method correlated with the parents' evaluation. The increase in score in the "remarkably improved" group was significantly higher than that of those in the "no change" and "improved" groups. The tape measure method reflected the parents' evaluation, and could be a useful test for the evaluation of pinch function in children.
