Force control of pinch grip: Normative data of a holistic evaluation.

Dottor, Alberto; Battista, Simone; Job, Mirko; Sansone, Lucia Grazia; Testa, Marco

Abstract

Background
Pulp pinch (PP) is a vital hand movement involving muscle strength and sensory integration. Previous research has primarily focused on Maximal Voluntary Contraction, but PP encompasses broader parameters.

Purpose
This study aims to establish normative data for a comprehensive evaluation of thumb and index force control during PP, including endurance, precision, accuracy in unilateral PP, and force coordination in bilateral PP.

Study Design
A cross-sectional study.

Methods
Three hundred and twenty eight healthy Italian cis-gender participants (169 females, 159 males) were enrolled in a multiparametric force control evaluation of pinch grip, consisting in: sustained contraction (SC: ability to maintain a stable contraction at 40% MVC, measured as the time until exhaustion), dynamic contraction (DC: the ability to modulate precisely and accurately force output to follow a dynamic force trace), bimanual strength coordination (BSC: the ability to coordinate in-phase bimanual forces at different combined magnitudes) tasks. The sample was divided per sex and stratified in five age groups taking into account hand dominance. Differences in tasks’ results between age, sex and hand-dominance were analysed.

Results
Endurance (SC) was similar between younger and older adults (η2 =0.047 (Females) and η2 < 0.007 (Males)). Older adults exhibited lower precision (DC) and coordination (BSC) compared to young adults in both sexes (η2 >0.16). Females demonstrated greater endurance (SC) but lower precision and coordination (BSC) compared to males (0.01 <η2 <0.1). No hand dominance effect emerged in SC and DC.

Conclusions
Force accuracy and precision to modulate pinch force to perform a visual feedback force-matching task (DC) and force coordination between hands (BSC) worsen at increasing age. Hand dominance did not influence either endurance or precision of pinch grip in visual-feedback guided task.

Citation

Dottor, A., Battista, S., Job, M., Sansone, L. G., & Testa, M. (in press). Force control of pinch grip: Normative data of a holistic evaluation. Journal of Hand Therapy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2024.06.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 24, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 3, 2024
• Deposit Date: Oct 24, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 24, 2024
• Journal: Journal of hand therapy
• Print ISSN: 0894-1130
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2024.06.001
• Keywords: Reference values, Hand strength, Endurance, Force control, Precision, Coordination