A new clinical test for sensorimotor function of the hand - development and preliminary validation

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Sensorimotor disturbances, including altered neuromuscular control and reduced proprioception, impact hand function in various musculoskeletal disorders.
• These disturbances significantly affect daily activities requiring fine motor skills, necessitating improved clinical assessment tools.
• Current objective methods for assessing hand movement behavior and proprioception in clinics are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and perform preliminary validation of a novel method for the clinical assessment of wrist movement sense.
• The method utilizes a laser pointer and an automated scoring system for objective evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Fifty physiotherapists completed a hand-tracking task using a laser pointer on a zig-zag pattern.
• Trials were video-recorded and analyzed using image processing for automatic quantification of 'Acuity' (percentage of time on target).
• The test was conducted with both dominant and non-dominant hands, in multiple directions and repetitions.

Main Results:

• Acuity was significantly better for the dominant hand compared to the non-dominant hand.
• Participants with recent right hand pain exhibited significantly reduced Acuity, with a similar trend for left hand pain.
• A negative correlation between Acuity and Speed indicated a speed-accuracy trade-off, and test repeatability showed acceptable intra-class correlation values.

Conclusions:

• The developed laser pointer test appears to be a valid and feasible method for assessing hand movement sense.
• Further research is recommended to evaluate its reliability across different patient groups and over time.
• This tool has potential applications in the assessment and rehabilitation of hand disorders.