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Differences in muscle activity during hand-dexterity tasks between women with arthritis and a healthy reference group

Brorsson, Sofia ; Nilsdotter, Anna ; Thorstensson, Carina and Bremander, Ann LU (2014) In BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 15.
Abstract
Background: Impaired hand function is common in patients with arthritis and it affects performance of daily activities; thus, hand exercises are recommended. There is little information on the extent to which the disease affects activation of the flexor and extensor muscles during these hand-dexterity tasks. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation during such tasks in subjects with arthritis and in a healthy reference group. Methods: Muscle activation was measured in m. extensor digitorium communis (EDC) and in m. flexor carpi radialis (FCR) with surface electromyography (EMG) in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 20), hand osteoarthritis (HOA, n = 16) and in a healthy reference group (n = 20) during the... (More)
Background: Impaired hand function is common in patients with arthritis and it affects performance of daily activities; thus, hand exercises are recommended. There is little information on the extent to which the disease affects activation of the flexor and extensor muscles during these hand-dexterity tasks. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation during such tasks in subjects with arthritis and in a healthy reference group. Methods: Muscle activation was measured in m. extensor digitorium communis (EDC) and in m. flexor carpi radialis (FCR) with surface electromyography (EMG) in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 20), hand osteoarthritis (HOA, n = 16) and in a healthy reference group (n = 20) during the performance of four daily activity tasks and four hand exercises. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was measured to enable intermuscular comparisons, and muscle activation is presented as %MVIC. Results: The arthritis group used a higher %MVIC than the reference group in both FCR and EDC when cutting with a pair of scissors, pulling up a zipper and-for the EDC-also when writing with a pen and using a key (p < 0.02). The exercise "rolling dough with flat hands" required the lowest %MVIC and may be less effective in improving muscle strength. Conclusions: Women with arthritis tend to use higher levels of muscle activation in daily tasks than healthy women, and wrist extensors and flexors appear to be equally affected. It is important that hand training programs reflect real-life situations and focus also on extensor strength. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Muscle activation, Muscle extension force, Flexion force, Female, Daily, activities
in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
volume
15
article number
154
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • wos:000337326200001
  • scopus:84903584119
  • pmid:24886491
ISSN
1471-2474
DOI
10.1186/1471-2474-15-154
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5e7dbbe9-eb57-43f6-900b-d417ea24345b (old id 4545008)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:06:36
date last changed
2022-02-04 02:30:15
@article{5e7dbbe9-eb57-43f6-900b-d417ea24345b,
  abstract     = {{Background: Impaired hand function is common in patients with arthritis and it affects performance of daily activities; thus, hand exercises are recommended. There is little information on the extent to which the disease affects activation of the flexor and extensor muscles during these hand-dexterity tasks. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation during such tasks in subjects with arthritis and in a healthy reference group. Methods: Muscle activation was measured in m. extensor digitorium communis (EDC) and in m. flexor carpi radialis (FCR) with surface electromyography (EMG) in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 20), hand osteoarthritis (HOA, n = 16) and in a healthy reference group (n = 20) during the performance of four daily activity tasks and four hand exercises. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was measured to enable intermuscular comparisons, and muscle activation is presented as %MVIC. Results: The arthritis group used a higher %MVIC than the reference group in both FCR and EDC when cutting with a pair of scissors, pulling up a zipper and-for the EDC-also when writing with a pen and using a key (p &lt; 0.02). The exercise "rolling dough with flat hands" required the lowest %MVIC and may be less effective in improving muscle strength. Conclusions: Women with arthritis tend to use higher levels of muscle activation in daily tasks than healthy women, and wrist extensors and flexors appear to be equally affected. It is important that hand training programs reflect real-life situations and focus also on extensor strength.}},
  author       = {{Brorsson, Sofia and Nilsdotter, Anna and Thorstensson, Carina and Bremander, Ann}},
  issn         = {{1471-2474}},
  keywords     = {{Muscle activation; Muscle extension force; Flexion force; Female; Daily; activities}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders}},
  title        = {{Differences in muscle activity during hand-dexterity tasks between women with arthritis and a healthy reference group}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3164546/5155971.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1471-2474-15-154}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}