People move their hands as they talk - they gesture. Gesturing is a robust phenomenon, found across cultures, ages, and tasks. Gesture is even found in individuals blind from birth. But what purpose, if any, does gesture serve? In this review, I begin by examining gesture when it stands on its own, substituting for speech and clearly serving a communicative function. When called upon to carry t...

Objectives: Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability. Hand motor impairment resulting from chronic stroke may have extensive physical, psychological, financial, and social implications despite available rehabilitative treatments. The best time to start treatment for stroke, is in sub-acute period. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a method of stimulating and ...

increase haemoglobin synthesis and erythro-poiesis. Further clinical and fundamental research is warranted to establish the possible beneficial effects of (oral) iron chelation treatment on RA activity and the anaemia of chronic disease. of hydroxyl radicals in the presence of ferritin and hemosiderin. Is hemosiderin formation a biological protective mechanism? Biochem J 1986; 234: 727-31. Iron...

BACKGROUND Recovery of function following stroke plateaus in about 1 year, typically leaving upper arm function better than that in the hand. Since there is competition among body parts for territory in the sensorimotor cortex, even limited activity of the upper arm might prevent the hand from gaining more control, particularly when the territory is reduced in size because of the stroke. Deaffe...

The human hand is a complex structure that performs various functions for activities of daily living and occupations. This paper presents a literature review on the methodologies used to evaluate hand functions from a biomechanics standpoint, including anthropometry, kinematics, kinetics, and electromyography (EMG). Anthropometry describes the dimensions and measurements of the hand. Kinematics...

BACKGROUND Aging is accompanied by a marked decline in muscle strength and ability to maintain steady submaximal force. Studies have shown that exercise programs can improve age-related regression of hand function in elderly individuals. The purpose of this study was to train elderly subjects to perform skilled finger movements and to evaluate the changes in hand function involving skillful use...

Hand function requires interaction of muscles, tendons, bones, joints and nerves. The unique construction of the hand provides a wide range of important functions such as manipulation, sense of touch, communication and grip strength (Schieber and Santello 2004). The hand is used in many ways, and in many different situations in our daily lives; so injuries, diseases or deformities of the hand c...