Assessment of hand function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Eighteen boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) were assessed for their ability to perform tasks involving wrist and hand function. Each subject was assessed using the Jebsen Test of Hand Function, range of motion measurements, and muscle strength tests. Writing and simulated page turning were performed successfully by boys in all age groups. Boys over age 15 had difficulty completing simulated feeding and picking up large and small objects. The muscle strength of the wrist extensors and the radial deviation range of motion at the wrist were found to be strongly correlated with six of the seven tasks assessed. These two clinical assessments appear to be good indicators of overall wrist and hand function. Life expectancy with DMD is increasing with advances in respiratory care making preservation of wrist and hand function, the major activity remaining with advanced disease, increasingly important.