Effect on hand kinematics when using assistive devices during activities of daily living

PeerJ

article

Alba Roda-Sales¹  Margarita Vergara¹  Joaquín L. Sancho-Bru¹  Verónica Gracia-Ibáñez¹  Néstor J. Jarque-Bou¹ 

[1] Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica y Construcción, Universitat Jaume I

关键词: Assistive device;    Activities of daily living;    Hand kinematics;    Hand posture;    Instrumented glove;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.7806

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Assistive devices (ADs) are products intended to overcome the difficulties produced by the reduction in mobility and grip strength entailed by ageing and different pathologies. Nevertheless, there is little information about the effect that the use of these devices produces on hand kinematics. Thus, the aim of this work is to quantify this effect through the comparison of kinematic parameters (mean posture, ROM, median velocity and peak velocity) while performing activities of daily living (ADL) using normal products and ADs. Twelve healthy right-handed subjects performed 11 ADL with normal products and with 17 ADs wearing an instrumented glove on their right hand, 16 joint angles being recorded. ADs significantly affected hand kinematics, although the joints affected differed according to the AD. Furthermore, some pattern effects were identified depending on the characteristics of the handle of the ADs, namely, handle thickening, addition of a handle to products that initially did not have one, extension of existing handles or addition of handles to apply higher torques. An overview of the effects of these design characteristics on hand kinematics is presented as a basis for the selection of the most suitable AD depending on the patient’s impairments.

【 授权许可】

CC BY