| Publication Date |
2005 |
| Personal Author |
Kursa, K.; Diao, E.; Latanza, L.; Rempel, D. |
| Page Count |
132 |
| Abstract |
The overall goal of this study was to determine the dose-response relationships of fingertip load to tendon load in order to provide guidelines for hand tool design and tool use to minimize tendon loading, and thereby reduce the risk of developing tendon related disorders. The specific goals of this study were to investigate the effects of finger and wrist posture, external force distribution, and fingertip force rate on in vivo forces in the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendons of the index finger and to evaluate the ability of a biomechanical model to predict these tendon forces. This information can identify finger positions and motions that are associated with lower tendon forces and may be used to design tools and tasks to decrease risk of tendon overuse injury and improve rehabilitation strategies. Tendon forces were recorded with buckle force transducers and fingertip forces were measured with a load cell in 15 adults during carpal tunnel surgery while hand position was recorded with a video camera. Flexor tendon to fingertip force ratios depend on positions of the metacarpophalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints as well as the direction of applied external force when subjects isometrically increase their fingertip force from 0 to 15 N. For the same fingertip force, FDP force can be reduced by using a pulp pinch posture and increasing MP joint flexion. FDS force can be reduced in a tip pinch posture and extended MP position. |
| Keywords |
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| Source Agency |
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| Corporate Authors |
California Univ., San Francisco. Dept. of Medicine.; National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Washington, DC. |
| Supplemental Notes |
Sponsored by National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Washington, DC. |
| Document Type |
Technical Report |
| Title Note |
Final rept. |
| NTIS Issue Number |
200611 |
