Joint posture, volumetric and temperature changes during repetitive hand movements.

Abstract

The study assessed finger and wrist joint motion, temperatur e and volumetric measurements and reports a qualitative assessment resulting from repetitive industrial hand movements. Participants mimicked a series of industrial repeti tive tasks incorporating the following hand movements: wrist flexion/ extension task, repetitive grasp/release task; and pinch t ask. Each task was performed for a period of 5 minutes. Hand temperature and volumetric measurements were reported. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were performed. Power analysis was performed to determine sample size (0.8) and significance was se t at p = 0.05. The results indicate that an increase in hand volume is accompanied by an increase in final temperature of the hand. Of the three tasks mimicking an industrial repetitive activity, the repetitive grasp/release task produced the m ost range of motion (RoM), followed by the wrist flexion/extension tas k and then the pinch task. From the subjects' perception the w rist flexion/extension task was considered to be the most stressf ul task.