Eccentric contractions can affect musculotendon mechanical properties and disrupt muscle proprioception, but their behavioral consequences are poorly understood. We tested whether repeated eccentric contractions of plantarflexor muscles of one leg affected the dexterity of either leg. Twenty healthy male subjects (27.3 ± 4.0 yrs) compressed a compliant and slender spring prone to buckling with ...

A steadiness-improving intervention was used to determine the contribution of variability in motor unit discharge rate to the fluctuations in index finger acceleration and manual dexterity in older adults. Ten healthy and sedentary old adults (age 72.9 +/- 5.8 yr; 5 men) participated in the study involving abduction of the left index finger. Single motor unit activity was recorded in the first ...

Little is known about the influence of different stressors on fine motor skills, the concentration of testosterone (T), and their interaction in adolescents. Therefore, 62 high school students aged 14-15 years were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (exercise, psychosocial stress) and a control group. Exercise stress was induced at 65-75% of the maximum heart rate by running for 15 mi...

BACKGROUND Despite that disability of the upper extremity is common after stroke, there is limited knowledge how it influences self-perceived ability to perform daily hand activities. The aim of this study was to describe which daily hand activities that persons with mild to moderate impairments of the upper extremity after stroke perceive difficult to perform and to evaluate how several potent...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To improve the accuracy of early postonset prediction of motor recovery in the flaccid hemiplegic arm, the effects of change in motor function over time on the accuracy of prediction were evaluated, and a prediction model for the probability of regaining dexterity at 6 months was developed. METHODS In 102 stroke patients, dexterity and paresis were measured with the Act...

conclusions when itbs was applied over the primary motor cortex, it significantly improved manual dexterity, but had no significant effect on the hand motor imagery ability in ms patients. results itbs group showed a reduction in the time required to complete the 9hpt (mean difference = -3.05, p = 0.002), and an increase in the number of blocks transferred in one minute in the bbt (mean differe...

The traditional neurosurgical apprenticeship scheme includes the assessment of trainee's manual skills carried out by experienced surgeons. However, the introduction of surgical simulation technology presents a new paradigm where residents can refine surgical techniques on a simulator before putting them into practice in real patients. Unfortunately, in this new scheme, an experienced surgeon w...

This dissertation focuses on the low force dexterous manipulation capabilities of the fingers and legs and the effects of age, sex, and clinical condition. The StrengthDexterity (SD) paradigm, based one’s ability to compress a slender spring prone to buckling at low forces, allowed us to quantify dexterity in over 300 participants from 15-93 years of age. We find dexterous manipulation capabili...

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between daily activities and manual dexterity in persons with Parkinson disease. [Subjects and Methods] The study participants were 25 patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease. This study used two clinical tools, the box-and-block test and Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living scale, to investigate the relationship b...

The purpose was to evaluate the effect of a metacarpal phalangeal joint blocking splint combined with exercises, aimed at regaining strength, manipulative skills, and a normal pattern of movement of the hands in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All patients were measured three times: before the start of the therapy, after finishing the therapy, and at three months follow-up. Outcome mea...