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Sensitivity of Simulated Grip Strength to Wrist Posture: Poster Presentation

Virtual 44th Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics

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Poster Presentation slide

 

Introduction

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Motivation:

  • Grip strength is sensitive to wrist posture1.
  • The preferred wrist posture during power grip is an extended and ulnar deviated posture; strength decreases as wrist moves away from this posture in any direction1.
  • Our research group has demonstrated that maximal grip strength in the preferred posture can be successfully predicted with a forward-dynamic optimization for healthy adults2.
  • Before our simulations can be generalized to other experimental conditions, we need to validate that our model displays sensitivity to wrist posture.

Hypothesis: Simulated grip strength would decrease as wrist posture moved away from the optimal posture in any direction.

 

Methods

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methods section

 

Results

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graph of predicted strength

Simulations:

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Radial Ulna and Self-Selected ARM movement Gif

 

Discussion

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Our simulations showed some sensitivity to wrist posture but required further deviation from optimal posture and decreases in strength were smaller (1.2-5.9kg compared to 8-11kg).

When compared to maximal predicted grip strength (ulnar posture), maximal reduction in strength seen was 9.5kg (radial far posture).

Our model may show different sensitivity to wrist for 2 reasons beside model error:

  1. In vivo activations may be different from predicted activations
  • The optimization predicted inactivity in certain primary wrist muscles that have been reported as partially active during experiments of power grip6
  • Appropriately constraining involuntary co-activations between muscles during power grip could improve sensitivity to wrist posture
  • Intrinsic muscle may not be fully active during power grip in vivo
  1. Model does not capture any discomfort that may limit grip strength in less ideal postures
  • The model showed some sensitivity to wrist posture, but future work exploring co-activations and discomfort during power gripping is needed to confirm why less sensitivity was seen here.

References

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[1] O¡¯Driscoll SW. J Hand Surg Am. 1992. 17(1), 169-77.

[2] McFarland DC. BMES 2019. Poster presentation.

[3] Delp SL. IEEE Trans Biomed Engin. 2007. 20(5),       540-549.

[4] Pawlaczyk M. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2013. 30(5), 302-6

[5] Birdwell JA. J Neurophysiol. 2013. 110, 1385-92.

[6] Mogk J. Ergonomics. 2003. 46:9, 956-975.

 

Acknowledgements

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This work is supported by NIH T32 HD07418, NIH RO1HD084009, as well as Merit Review Award #I01RX0019900 from the United States (U.S.) Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Âé¶¹APP and Development Service. This contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

 

AMA citation for this poster presentation:

McFarland DC, Bednar MS, Murray WM. Sensitivity of Simulated Grip Strength to Wrist Posture. Virtual 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics Conference. August 4-7, 2020. 

 

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