Functional Indication: Kinematical Measurement of Painful Wrists and Kinetic Analysis of the Thumb in Jar Opening

• Main Authors: JER-HAO CHANG, 張哲豪
• Other Authors: Fong-Chin Su
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/59275152432263519551

博士 === 國立成功大學 === 醫學工程研究所碩博士班 === 96 === Hand function is a very important function in human beings. People manipulate tools and objects to complete the tasks in every daily activity by hands. An intact hand function results from the pre-positioning of the hand and the in-hand manipulation among the digits. The wrist and thumb here perform particular roles in hand function. For a long time, the development of objective and accurate measurement of wrist and hand function is required for both clinical and research purposes. The essential kinematics and kinetics are usually measured as the basic functional components for human motion. The turning tasks tend to challenge people and even threat to acquire injury. It is necessary to inquiry the ergonomic correlation in the task and cumulated trauma disorders. The biomechanical analysis of the hand and wrist in turning activity can provide functional indication for diagnostic information and intervention reference as well as prevention guidance This dissertation driven by clinical need and ergonomic interest to focus on wrist kinematics and thumb kinetics leads three studies for biomechanical analysis. This dissertation presents four biomechanical studies. The first study aimed to adopt a flexible electrogoniometer to measure the loci of the wrist circumduction and mark the pain points or ranges of the injury site. Besides, thestudy also attempted to build up the parameters as functional index in wrist. The other studies adopted a newly designed apparatus to simultaneously measure the force and torque of the thumb and the entire hand during a jar-opening task. The second study compared the kinetics of the thumb in two types of lid grip and under two different jar-holding positions. The force, torque and torque contribution of the thumb in jar opening in various situations then were analyzed. The third study used the device to investigate the joint load applied by the thumb during jar opening between genders. The last study compared the kinetic contribution of the thumb and fingers in jar opening. The kinetic contribution of all five digits on their locations on the jar lid was clearly plotted and discussed to compare in different grasp patterns and jar positions. The findings of these studies can provide the evidenced base for the clinician to trace the progress of the injured wrist and provide suggestions for injury prevention. The kinematical measurement for the painful wrists by a portable flexible electrogoniometer helps the clinician to precisely mark the pain points during wrist motion. The methods contribute to follow up the patients’ recovery by a quantified index and clear locations. In addition, to discover the kinetics of the thumb and digits interaction in jar turning can calculate out their torque contribution and configuration correlation. The data provide a reference base to understand the thumb’s stress burden in such twisting job and make the clinicians contemplate how to reinforce the hand function or prosthesis design or even surgery consideration in the future. Moreover, we may learn the lessons from the results to prevent from the cumulated trauma disorders.