Finger dynamography. A complimentary technique for functional evaluation of the hand

The movements of the MP and PIP joints occur together and enable the fingers to acquire different postures. A graphic record of these movements gives an idea of the working space of the fingers. Normally, the tracing forms the shape of a quadrangle with almost parallel sides. If muscle paralysis occurs or joints are diseased, the shape of the quadrangle--the "working space"--becomes distorted. Different patterns of distortion are seen with different finger problems. "Finger dynamography" is a simple bedside procedure requiring only a goniometer. If supplemented with additional data on pinch and grip strengths and sensibility, it gives a pictorial record which is easy to interpret and can be used for documentation.