Enhancing Hand Dexterity Assessment Through Protocol Revision and Pilot Evaluation of the Virtual Eggs Test.

Abstract

Hand function assessment enables the therapist to select the proper rehabilitation therapy as well as to monitor the recovery progress. The Virtual Eggs Test (VET) stands out from the other tests for hand dexterity evaluation since evaluates both gross and fine dexterity. This is achieved by integrating measures of accuracy and speed in transporting objects with increasing fragilities. A clinical trial to validate VET was carried out with a population of amputees and a small group of healthy participants, showing promising results. To improve the resolution of the test, here we propose a revised version of the execution protocol without extending the duration. The new version has been preliminary evaluated by seven healthy participants of different ages. The results of this pilot study support test-retest reliability for the original formulation of the Fine Dexterity Index, while suggesting for a revision of the Gross Dexterity Index.