[Sensory test for fine motor skills of the hand - a pilot study]

The consequences of acute disorders of cerebral circulation significantly reduce the patient's life quality. According to official data, movement disorders are observed in 81.2% of surviving patients. Before and after rehabilitation, it is necessary to determine the degree of motor deficit in the affected hand. Currently used methods, such as video analysis, goniometry, dynamometry, spectrum of clinical scales, etc. have both advantages and disadvantages.

OBJECTIVE

Conduct approbation of the «Method of rehabilitation assessment of fine motor function of the hand using a touch panel» and evaluate its diagnostic significance in the assessment of motor disorders.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The patients with the syndrome of mild and moderate hemiparesis in the recovery period of stroke, who are at the outpatient stage of rehabilitation, have been examined. The examination was carried out according to the standards of management of the recovery period of stroke, as well as using the author's method.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The tested «Method of rehabilitation assessment of fine motor function of the hand using a touch panel» showed reliability and statistical significance in comparison with clinical scales and can be integrated into the protocols of outpatient and remote rehabilitation.

[The application of the Multi-Touch pad for the evaluation of the fine motor activity of the wrist]

AIM

The objective of the present study was to elaborate the method for the evaluation of the fine motor activity of the wrist in the patients presenting with wrist movement disorders resulting from central hemiparesis and to demonstratee the reliability of such method through the calculation of the standard error of measurements and minimal the detectable change (MDC95%).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study population was comprised of 42 patients who had undergone ischaemic stroke and suffered from the impairment of the upper limb functions . The deficit of the fine motor skills was estimated with the use of the original multi-touch diagnostic technique. The results of the assessment were compared with those of the measurement of upper limb motor activity based on the validated scales, such as the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scale and the Nine Hole Peg Test (PHT).

RESULTS

The study with the application of the multi-touch method for diagnostics of the fine motor skills has demonstrated the high internal consistency of the measurements, with the Cronbach's Alpha Reliability Coefficient amounting to 0.98. The re-test reliability was high, with the ICC=0.98 (95% CI 0.97-0.99). The Spearman rank-order correlation with the locomotion scale estimates gave evidence of the good associative links, with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale correlation coefficient making 0.55-0.66 and the Nine Hole Peg Test findings being -0.7. The Minimal Detectable Change (MDC95%) for the multi-touch method was found to be 12.67%.

CONCLUSION

The objective diagnostics of the fine motor skill disturbances with the use of the original multi-touch method has demonstrated its high reliability and a high degree of correlation with the estimates obtained with the application of the modern validated scales in the patients who had undergone ischaemic stroke. Therefore, this method can be recommended for clinical use.