The functional repertoire of the hand and its application to assessment

Am J Occup Ther. 2003 Sep-Oct;57(5):489-98. doi: 10.5014/ajot.57.5.489.

Abstract

Functional assessment of the hand typically involves evaluation of proficiency using a test battery rather than identifying the range of hand skills available to a client. Establishing a clients hand function by reference to the movement repertoire of his or her fully-functioning hand offers numerous benefits for clinicians and researchers. A functional repertoire model of the hand is proposed as a framework for guiding assessment and therapy. The model identifies four main components relating to hand function: personal constraints, hand roles, hand actions, and task parameters. The model provides a common language for assessment, program development, and research across populations. Application here is to hand-injured clients, but the framework is equally valuable for hand function assessment of developmentally and physically challenged individuals, persons with neuromuscular disorders, or geriatric populations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Guidelines as Topic
  • Hand / physiology*
  • Hand Injuries / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Movement Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Examination
  • Reference Values