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Finger-tapping motion analysis in cervical myelopathy by magnetic-sensor tapping device
Toshitada Miwa1, Noboru Hosono, Yoshihiro Mukai
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kansai Rosai Hospital, Osaka, Japan. miwa.toshitada@gmail.com
Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques
|April 9, 2013
Summary
Patients with cervical myelopathy exhibit impaired finger motion, affecting speed and regularity. A new tapping device quantifies these deficits, aiding in assessing myelopathy severity and surgical outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biomechanical analysis
- Spinal cord disorders
Background:
- Compressive cervical myelopathy frequently causes finger clumsiness, a key symptom.
- Accurate assessment of myelopathy severity requires understanding complex finger motion.
- Existing tests, like the grip-and-release test, offer limited insight into finger dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively evaluate finger motion during repetitive tapping in patients with cervical myelopathy.
- To establish a method for assessing the severity of finger paralysis in cervical myelopathy.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 43 cervical myelopathy patients and 41 healthy controls.
- Utilized a magnetic-sensor coil to record index finger-thumb tapping for 30 seconds.
- Computer analysis calculated tapping frequency, distance, velocity ratios, and interval variability (SD).
Main Results:
- Cervical myelopathy patients showed significantly reduced finger movement distance and increased tapping interval variability compared to controls.
- All measured finger motion parameters improved significantly following surgical decompression.
- Finger movement distance and interval variability correlated significantly with the Japanese Orthopedic Association score.
Conclusions:
- Developed a novel tapping device for quantitative evaluation of finger paralysis in cervical myelopathy.
- Finger tapping speed and regularity are reliable indicators of cervical myelopathy severity.
- This method provides objective data for assessing neurological function and treatment efficacy.
