Affiliations: Department of Occupational Therapy, College of
Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan | Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cathay
General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Based on the high prevalence of people with problems in
the wrist and hand simultaneously, it is of its importance to clarify whether
hand joints exert extra motion to compensate for wrist motion while
immobilized. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to measure the compensatory movement of
the thumb and index finger when people perform daily activities with an
immobilized wrist. METHODS: Thirty healthy volunteers were recruited in this study. A
wrist splint, the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, and the OptoTrak Certus
motion tracking system were used. Seven inter-digit mean joint angles of the
index finger and thumb were calculated. Paired sample t-test was used. RESULTS: (1) The compensatory motions were noted in the
Metacarpophalangeal and Carpometacarpal joints of the thumb, and the proximal
interphalangeal joints of the index finger; (2) The manifestation of
compensatory motion was related to type of activity performed except when
picking up light and heavy cans. CONCLUSIONS: The compensatory motions appeared while the wrist was
immobilized and were found to be disadvantageous to the progression of disease.
In the future, studies need to be done to understand how to select products
with correct ergonomic design to enable people to reap greater benefits from
wearing wrist splints.
