Journal of Hand Therapy最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of upper extremity performance in women with and without breast cancer-related lymphedema.","authors":"Gülbin Ergin, Hüseyin Mahiroğlu, Ümit Akay, Ali İbrahim Sevinç, Didem Karadibak","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Breast cancer-related lymphedema may negatively affect upper extremity function; however, objective evidence regarding task-oriented upper extremity performance and hand reaction time in this population remains limited.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To compare upper extremity performance and hand reaction time in women with and without breast cancer-related lymphedema after breast cancer treatment.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Cross-sectional study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty women after breast cancer treatment were included: 25 with breast cancer-related lymphedema and 25 without lymphedema. Limb volume was calculated using the frustum formula from circumferential measurements taken at 5-cm intervals. Upper extremity performance was assessed using the Timed Functional Arm and Shoulder Test (TFAST), and hand reaction time was assessed using the Nelson Hand Reaction Test (NHRT).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Age, body mass index (BMI), pain intensity, and time since surgery were comparable between groups. Affected-side arm volume was higher in the breast cancer-related lymphedema group than in the non-lymphedema group (2095.5 ± 425.7 cm³ vs 1695.9 ± 365.5 cm³; mean difference: 399.6 cm³; p < 0.001). TFAST scores were lower in women with breast cancer-related lymphedema on the affected/dominant side (median: 41 vs 53; r = 0.69; p < 0.001) and on the unaffected/non-dominant side (median: 39 vs 57; r = 0.67; p < 0.001). NHRT reaction time in the affected hand was longer in the breast cancer-related lymphedema group (median: 0.259 seconds vs 0.234 seconds; r = 0.66; p < 0.001). Limb volume was negatively correlated with affected-side TFAST scores in women with breast cancer-related lymphedema (r = -0.58, p = 0.002), but not with NHRT scores (r = 0.15, p = 0.227).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Breast cancer-related lymphedema is associated with clinically meaningful impairments in task-oriented upper extremity performance and longer affected-hand reaction time. Performance-based assessment may help identify functional impairments associated with breast cancer-related lymphedema and guide individualized hand and upper extremity rehabilitation for women after breast cancer treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multifaceted orthotic to facilitate communication in a medically complex patient: A case report.","authors":"Jacklyn Cypher, Samuel Ziegler, James Dalessandro","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.03.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A multidisciplinary team effort to promote functional communication in a medically complex case involving custom orthotic creation and implementation.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To explore the clinical reasoning, design process, and implementation of a custom orthotic developed for a patient with history of a spinal cord injury and complex comorbidities to use an electrolarynx communication device. Emphasis is placed on the iterative process of clinical decision-making, material selection, and adaptive strategies to ensure the orthosis was both functional and user-friendly.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A retrospective, singular case report.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An evaluation of the patient's upper extremity function was conducted. Findings from this assessment informed the design of a custom, hand-based orthosis, which featured a stable base structure with an integrated attachment mechanism to securely accommodate an electrolarynx. Therapeutic intervention centered on use of the orthosis to support functional communication, leading to expanded use in self-care tasks.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>When donned, the custom orthotic was successful in allowing the patient to use an electrolarynx for communication.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The outlined treatment and orthosis mechanics can be generalized for use in comparable cases across settings to promote occupational therapy's unique ability to create orthotics to meet individualized patient needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of kinesio taping on shoulder tendinopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Jialin Wang, Shengnian Li, Qihan Lin, Yikun Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.022","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Shoulder tendinopathy (ST) is one of the most common shoulder disorders. Kinesio taping (KT), a novel taping technique, has received increasing attention in sports medicine and rehabilitation in recent years.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose: &lt;/strong&gt;The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the effects of KT on pain，function, and range of motion in patients with ST.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Study design: &lt;/strong&gt;Systematic review and meta-analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This systematic review protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024582846, 03 Sep 2024). China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Information (VIP), Wanfang Data, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, EBSCO (MEDLINE), Embase, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of KT on ST, published up to June 15, 2026. The intervention in the experimental group involved KT, either applied alone or in combination with other rehabilitation modalities. The control interventions included sham taping or conventional treatment. The primary outcome measures were pain intensity [eg, visual analogue scale (VAS)], shoulder range of motion (ROM), and Shoulder function scores [eg, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)]. The secondary outcome measure is Acromiohumeral distance (AHD). Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2), and the certainty of evidence was graded according to the GRADE system. Effect sizes were calculated as Mean Difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD), with 95% CI. SMDs were calculated as Hedges' adjusted g to correct for small-sample bias. Data analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 15. For random-effects meta-analyses, the between-study variance was estimated using the DerSimonian-Laird method. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger's test.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 16 RCTs involving 890 patients with ST were included in this study, with 450 participants in the KT group and 440 in the control group. Six studies (37.5%) were assessed as having a low risk of bias, while ten studies (62.5%) were classified as having a high risk of bias. The analgesic effect of KT combined with other interventions (SMD=-0.39, 95% CI [-0.56, -0.23], p&lt;0.05) was superior to that of KT alone. When combined with other treatments, KT produced significant gains in flexion (MD=8.01, 95% CI [4.26, 11.77], P&lt;0.05), extension (MD=6.26, 95% CI [4.94, 7.58], p&lt;0.05), abduction (MD=11.50, 95% CI [8.20, 14.81], p&lt;0.05), and external rotation (MD=7.03, 95% CI [4.86, 9.21], p&lt;0.05). KT, combined with other interventions, provided even greater functional improvement (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI [0.26, 0.63], p &lt; 0.05). Subgroup analysis indicated that the X-shaped taping technique was more effective than the Y-shaped taping techn","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kinesiology taping for pain and grip strength in hand osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Mahshad Maleki, Mohammad Saatchi, Narges Bagheri","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.07.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.07.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hand osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cause chronic pain and functional limitations; kinesiology taping is a low-cost intervention of uncertain effectiveness.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate kinesiology taping's effects on pain and grip strength in hand OA or RA.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Systematic review and meta-analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched (inception-July 2026) for randomized/controlled trials. Two reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias; standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models (PROSPERO: CRD42022354374).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven trials (n = 184) were included. Taping had a moderate effect on pain (SMD = -0.54, 95% CI: -0.87 to -0.21; I² = 0%) and a moderate-to-large effect on grip strength (SMD = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.01-1.27), though heterogeneity was substantial (I² = 84.9%), warranting cautious interpretation. Most studies had low-to-moderate risk of bias.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Kinesiology taping shows short-term benefits for hand OA/RA; larger, standardized trials are needed to confirm long-term efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Geographic- and socioeconomic-based analysis of the certified hand therapist workforce in the United States.","authors":"Trevor D Wolterink, Jared J Reid, Lawrence C Vanderham, Paul J Pottanat, Julia A DeSalvo, Alexander J Ment, Dane N Daley, Charles A Daly","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Certified hand therapists (CHTs) are specialized physical or occupational therapists who meet standards established by the Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC) which encompass four domains including assessing the patient and specifically their upper limb, determining an individualized plan of care and prognosis, implementing the plan of care, and mastering relevant basic science and upper extremity knowledge. However, these healthcare providers are non-uniformly distributed throughout the United States (US) with geographic- and socioeconomic-based disparities.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To define overall prevalence of CHTs in the US with geographic and socioeconomic sub-analysis and provide an update to research by Stegink-Jansen.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Cross-sectional study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) of active CHTs were determined using 2024 HTCC registry and cross-referenced for geographic area and population income and race/ethnicity using the 2020 US Census. Cohorts were defined as no CHT (ZCTAs with no CHT) and CHT (ZCTAs with at least one CHT).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The no CHT cohort consisted of 30,277 ZCTAs (228,520,642 people), while the CHT cohort consisted of 3497 ZCTAs (102,928,639 people). The average number of CHTs / ZCTA and CHTs / 100,000 people overall was 0.2 and 2.1 respectively. The predominant disparity was geographic area with the no CHT cohort consisting of 50.9% rural and 49.1% urban ZCTAs, and the CHT cohort consisting of 7.6% rural and 92.4% urban ZCTAs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The overall prevalence of CHTs remains low despite a recent increase in CHTs. Combined with the increased demand for hand therapy, there is likely a supply-demand mismatch that will make it difficult for patients to access these healthcare professionals. In addition, the disproportionally low prevalence of CHTs in rural geographic locations may lead to suboptimal outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional recovery after earthquake-related severe upper extremity crush injury: A case report of staged hand reconstruction and rehabilitation.","authors":"Merve Bayrak, Zeynep Tuna Emir, Ceren Zorluoğulları, Uğur Bezirgan","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Earthquake-related crush injuries may cause acute compartment syndrome leading to severe muscle and nerve damage, and comprehensive rehabilitation following surgery plays a critical role in recovery.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To describe functional outcomes of staged surgical interventions combined with a structured rehabilitation program in a patient with earthquake-related right forearm compartment syndrome.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Case report.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 23-year-old male patient underwent emergency fasciotomy for acute forearm compartment syndrome, followed by staged reconstructive surgeries. Following the major functional reconstructive procedures (free gracilis muscle transfer and Brand tendon transfer), individualized rehabilitation programs were implemented, including orthotic positioning, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, sensory and motor re-education, progressive strengthening, and functional upper extremity training.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After rehabilitation, notable improvements were observed in joint mobility, muscle strength, and upper extremity function. These gains were supported by increases in Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire scores (hand function: 30-70; activities of daily living: 31-59; work: 0-45; satisfaction: 17-79), with sustained improvements at follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>An interdisciplinary approach integrating staged surgical management with individualized rehabilitation can enhance sensorimotor recovery and functional outcomes in patients with severe forearm compartment syndrome following an earthquake.</p>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Orthosis alone or with hand therapy for the early management of symptomatic thumb carpometacarpal arthritis: A prospective observational study.","authors":"Casey M Imbergamo, Kavya K Sanghavi, Aviram M Giladi, Kenneth R Means","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.06.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Orthotic management alone or with hand therapy (+HT) are cornerstones of nonoperative management for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis, yet comparative data are scarce.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To compare outcomes over the course of 12 months for orthotic management alone vs +HT for patients with thumb carpometacarpal arthritis.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Prospective observational.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We identified patients from our ongoing prospective nonoperative carpometacarpal osteoarthritis registry who elected for treatment with orthotic management alone or +HT from 2019-2023. We collected baseline and 1-, 2-, 6-, and 12-month surveys as well as patient-reported outcome measures. We used bivariate mixed-effect regression analyses to compare continuous variables between groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 25 orthotic management alone and +41 HT patients were identified. The +HT group had significant improvements in brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (bMHQ) scores from baseline (mean 67 [SD 12]) at 1 and 2 months (53[5] and 51[8], respectively), and for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Interference scores from baseline (56[2]) at 1 and 2 months (51[6] and 51[5], respectively). The orthotic management alone group had significant improvements in bMHQ scores from baseline (mean 63 [SD 15]) at 2 and 6 months (52[10] and 48[9], respectively), and for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Interference scores from baseline (57[5]) at 2 and 6 months (51[9] and 50[8], respectively). Approximately 12% of patients in both groups received a corticosteroid injection by 12 months.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patients choosing +HT for initial management of their thumb carpometacarpal arthritis had some earlier benefits than those choosing orthotic management alone. Relatively few patients choosing either of these approaches progressed to corticosteroid injections within 12 months of initiating care. We need larger cohorts with better retention to improve comparisons of carpometacarpal osteoarthritis nonoperative care options.</p>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148382458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rehabilitation for free functional muscle transfers following complete brachial plexus injury: A case report","authors":"Macyn M. Stonner OTD, CHT,&nbsp;Ellen T. King CHT,&nbsp;Christopher J. Dy MD, MPH, FACS,&nbsp;David M. Brogan MD","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2025.09.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jht.2025.09.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Free functional muscle transfer surgery requires supervised rehabilitation to optimize motor re-education, yet guidelines regarding orthotic use and therapeutic exercises are lacking.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To present an overview of the rehabilitation protocol for a patient who underwent free functional muscle transfer after brachial plexus injury.</div></div><div><h3>Study Design</h3><div>Case report.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A 49-year-old male with complete brachial plexus injury began outpatient hand therapy 2 weeks after free functional muscle transfer. Rehabilitation included a dedicated orthosis program and exercises based off the Donor Activation Focused Rehabilitation Approach. Donor muscle activation is first coupled with passive elbow and finger flexion, followed by active-assisted, antigravity, and then resisted motion.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The case obtained a 4 cm distal palmar crease distance, an elbow arc of 30-100 degrees, and the elbow could withstand moderate (4/5) resistance. Elbow and finger flexion strength was greater with co-contraction of the donor trapezius muscle.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Good strength and range-of-motion outcomes were obtained using Donor Activation Focused Rehabilitation Approach as a framework to model free functional muscle transfer rehabilitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":"39 3","pages":"Pages 690-696"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145919323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Letter to the editor regarding “The effect of wrist position sense and tactile recognition on manual skills in patients with upper extremity neuropathy”","authors":"Duygu Mine Alatas OT, MSc,&nbsp;Ilkem Ceren Sigirtmac OT, PhD,&nbsp;Cigdem Oksuz PT, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2025.07.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jht.2025.07.005","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":"39 3","pages":"Pages 721-722"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145139594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Normative data on extensor pollicis longus force, lift-off height, and tendon gliding amplitude","authors":"Christos Ni Sarigiannis MD, MSc,&nbsp;Ingrid Andreasson OT, PhD,&nbsp;Lars Ekström BS,&nbsp;Michael Ullman MD, PhD,&nbsp;Anders Björkman MD, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.jht.2025.12.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jht.2025.12.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The extensor pollicis longus is the principal extensor of the thumb and is typically evaluated in clinical examination with the hand placed flat on a surface. As the hand is commonly immobilized or functions in 20-30 degrees of wrist extension (the functional position), it is important to understand extensor pollicis longus function in both positions.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To establish normative reference values for extensor pollicis longus extension force measured with the hand in flat and functional positions and assess normative values for lift-off height and extensor pollicis longus tendon gliding amplitude.</div></div><div><h3>Study Design</h3><div>Cross-sectional study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Two hundred healthy individuals (100 males, 100 females; aged 18-85 years, median age 46 years) were included. A custom-made device capable of measuring isolated finger force and recording electromyographic activity was used. Lift-off test height and extensor pollicis longus tendon gliding amplitude were documented.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Extensor pollicis longus force peaked in the third decade of life and declined thereafter. In the flat position, the median extension force was 9.3 N (range: 1.1-18.8 N) for females and 15.8 N (range: 6.4-33.0 N) for males. In the functional position, the median values were 14.0 N (range: 3.8-35.2 N) for females and 21.2 N (range: 6.4-50.6 N) for males. Lift-off height was comparable between the sexes, with median values from 46 to 48 mm (range: 10-75 mm). Likewise, gliding amplitude exhibited no differences between the sexes, with a median of 30 mm (range: 5-50 mm).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Reference values for extensor pollicis longus extension force, lift-off height, and tendon gliding amplitude were established. Maximal force occurs at 30 degrees wrist extension, peaks in the third decade, and declines after the fourth. On average, force values in females were approximately 60% of those observed in males.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54814,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hand Therapy","volume":"39 3","pages":"Pages 610-619"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147357808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}