Characterization of
movements and muscular efforts of the healthy hand oriented to the
functional evaluation and to the design and adaptation of products
for manipulation
Abstract:
The manipulation
ability of the hand may be compromised by different pathologies with
increasing incidence in a population with an increasing life
expectancy. In addition, the ICF (WHO) establishes the capacity to
carry out activities of daily living (ADL) as the main factor to
classify the degree of disability. The kinematics and dynamics of
the hand play an important role in the ability to develop ADL, and
have been shown to be suitable for the objective assessment of the
loss of functionality due to pathology or injury. However, current
functional assessment methods do not consider objective measurement
beyond the maximum ranges of joint mobility and maximum grip forces.
A more objective evaluation may help in the definition and/or
customization of rehabilitative or surgical treatments and in the
measurement of their evolution, while ensuring more objective
assessments of work disability. The joint characterization of
movements and muscle activity used by the healthy hand in the
performance of ADL may serve as a standard of functional normality
for a more objective assessment of the real limitations arisen from
pathology or injury. But to date, no systematic characterization of
the hand dynamics in ADL has been performed, largely due to the
complexity of the hand (large number of degrees of freedom driven by
an intricate muscular complex). The concept of synergies allows to
reduce the dimensionality of the problem, and could be used to make
such characterization feasible. In this sense, in an earlier
project, the research group has characterized the kinematics of the
healthy hand in terms of synergies during the development of ADL,
and has shown with prospective studies on pathological subjects its
usefulness for the functional assessment.
Therefore, in this project we propose characterizing the movements
and muscular forces of the healthy hand, analyzing especially their
synergies, during the performance of clinical tests of function
assessment and during ADL with different types of products
(including assistive devices). The characterisation will be oriented
to the development of objective tools of function assessment and of
guidelines for the design and adaptation of products to facilitate
the autonomy of people with functional limitations, through tests in
impaired subjects. We also intend to improve current biomechanical
models to allow simulation of manipulation in ADL from considering
these synergies, incorporating the underlaying mechanical and neural
couplings.
The achievement of these objectives will require the use of an
experimental methodology and the results will also contribute to
other fields, such as improving the design and control of dexterous
hand prostheses.
Date:
Jan.
2019-Dec. 2022
PI UJI:
Margarita Vergara
Monedero
Joaquin L. Sancho Bru
Partners:
UJI, Hospital
Provincial de Castellón
Funding:
Ministerio de
Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
(PGC2018-095606-B-C21)
