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Published on: June 4, 2020
Grip force control during simple manipulation tasks in non-neuropathic diabetic individuals
1Motion Analysis Lab, Graduate Program in Human Movement Sciences, Cruzeiro do Sul University, Rua Galvão Bueno, 868, Liberdade, São Paulo 01506-000, SP, Brazil. defreitaspb@gmail.com
Summary
Diabetics without neuropathy showed normal hand function but had reduced grip force control when holding objects. This suggests potential sensory deficits that could lead to object dropping.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Diabetology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus can affect neural control even without overt neuropathy.
- Assessing subtle sensory and motor control impairments is crucial for preventing complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate hand function and grip force (GF) control in non-neuropathic diabetic individuals.
- To identify underlying neural mechanisms of manipulation deficits using instrumented assessments.
Main Methods:
- Compared 12 non-neuropathic diabetics and 12 controls on standard hand function tests.
- Measured GF control using instrumented handles during free-holding and isometric tasks.
- Assessed task performance and safety margin (SM).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in traditional hand function tests or isometric GF control.
- Diabetics exhibited a significantly lower SM (approximately half) in the free-holding task compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Non-neuropathic diabetes does not impair overall hand function or isometric grip.
- Reduced SM in free-holding suggests potential sensory deficits impacting object manipulation.
- The experimental method effectively detects mild sensory impairments in diabetics.
