The thumb plays an important role in hand function. Daily tasks involving pinch, grip, grasp and precise handling are more easily accomplished with an opposable thumb, Loss of thumb diminish much the hand abilities and function [1]. Soft tissue injuries of the hand frequently require flap coverage, either to preserve structures or even to facilitate later reconstruction [2]. The absence of the ...

A rigorous description of the magnitude and direction of the 3D force vector each thumb muscle produces at the thumb-tip is necessary to understand the biomechanical consequences to pinch of a variety of paralyses and surgical procedures (such as tendon transfers). In this study, we characterized the 3D force vector each muscle produces at the thumb-tip, and investigated if these thumb-tip forc...

QUESTION What is the lifetime and current prevalence of thumb problems in Australian physiotherapists and what are the factors associated with thumb problems? DESIGN Survey of a random cross-section of physiotherapists. PARTICIPANTS 1562(approximately 10% of the total) registered Australian physiotherapists. OUTCOME MEASURES General questions covered demographic information, area of pract...

38 Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate altered finger-thumb coupling in 39 individuals with chronic hemiparesis post-stroke. 40 Methods: First, an external device stretched finger flexor muscles by passively rotating the 41 metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. Subjects then performed isometric finger or thumb force 42 generation. Forces/torques and electromyographic (EMG) signa...

This case report presents a case of Fanconi's Anemia with an unusual thumb polydactyly in a 2-year-old boy. The extra thumb had no nail, nail bed and distal phalanx. The extra thumb had no active motion. The duplication of the thumb occurred at the carpometacarpal joint but its morphology did not match with any classification described for thumb polydactyly. Although his thumb polydactyly was a...

The purpose of this study was to investigate altered finger-thumb coupling in individuals with chronic hemiparesis poststroke. First, an external device stretched finger flexor muscles by passively rotating the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. Subjects then performed isometric finger or thumb force generation. Forces/torques and electromyographic signals were recorded for both the thumb and fi...

The purpose of this study was to compare the range of motion (ROM) and strength of the metacarpophalangeal (MP) and interphalangeal (IP) joints among massage practitioners with and without thumb pain and control subjects. Sixteen massage practitioners with thumb pain, 16 practitioners without thumb pain, and 16 control subjects participated in this study. ROM of flexion, extension, and abductio...

INTRODUCTION One of the most important hand functions is thumb opposition, which results from flexion, abduction and axial rotation at the carpometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints [1]. The thenar muscles, innervated by the median nerve, are critical for coordinated thumb movements. It is commonly observed that thumb opposition is impaired with median neuropathy [2]. The c...