A suite of automated tools to quantify hand and wrist motor function after cervical spinal cord injury.
Katelyn M Grasse, Seth A Hays, Kimiya C Rahebi and 5 others
PMID 30975167WHAT IT FOUND
A new set of hand and wrist measurement tools reliably quantified muscle force deficits in people with cervical spinal cord injury, matching scores from standard clinical exams.
The tools distinguish impaired strength from preserved movement range, offering a precise way to track recovery over time.
Key findings
01The automated devices showed strong agreement with the standard GRASSP exam, confirming they measure similar aspects of hand function.
02Participants with spinal cord injury generated significantly less finger and wrist force than uninjured controls, but often retained normal range of motion.
03Most measurements remained stable when participants were retested four months later, indicating the tools are reliable for tracking changes over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study had a small sample size, with only 9 participants completing all assessment components. The devices measure only single-joint movements and do not capture complex hand functions or sensory deficits. Some individual force measurements showed lower reliability over time compared to range of motion measures. The study tested only chronic cervical spinal cord injury, so results may not apply to acute injuries or other conditions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing interests. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high correlation with standard exams as proof that these devices replace clinical judgment. The tools measure isolated muscle force and range, not complex functional tasks like writing or buttoning. A patient might score well on the device but still struggle with fine motor coordination in daily life.