Clinical Assessment of Hand Motor Performance After Acquired Brain Injury With Dynamic Computerized Hand Dynamometry: Construct, Concurrent, and Predictive Validity

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 93; no. 12; pp. 2257 - 2263
• Main Authors: Barden, Hannah L., BAppSc(OT), Nott, Melissa T., PhD, Heard, Robert, PhD, Chapparo, Christine, PhD, Baguley, Ian J., MBBS, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-12-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Injuries - complications; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; Hand; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Motor Neuron Disease - etiology; Motor Neuron Disease - rehabilitation; Motor Skills; Muscle spasticity; Muscle Spasticity - etiology; Muscle Spasticity - rehabilitation; Muscle Strength Dynamometer; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Nervous system as a whole; Neurology; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Physical Therapy Modalities; Prospective Studies; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Rehabilitation; Reproducibility of Results; Validation studies; Young Adult; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; botulinum toxin A; ABI; upper limb; Modified Ashworth Scale; force velocity; Action Research Arm Test; dynamic computerized hand dynamometry; Muscle strength dynamometer; UL; Adult; r spb; DCD; acquired brain injury; F vel; nonparametric point biserial correlation; ICF; upper motor neuron; BTX-A; UMN; ARAT; Rehabilitation; Muscle spasticity; MAS; Validation studies; rspb; Fvel; Human; Performance evaluation; Nervous system diseases; Muscle strength; Spasticity; Muscle tonus alteration; Dynamometry; Hand; Dynamometer; Cerebral disorder; Construct validity; Striated muscle disease; Reeducation; Orthopedics; Central nervous system disease; Neurological disorder; Predictive factor
• ISSN: 0003-9993; 1532-821X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.06.028

Abstract Barden HL, Nott MT, Heard R, Chapparo C, Baguley IJ. Clinical assessment of hand motor performance after acquired brain injury with dynamic computerized hand dynamometry: construct, concurrent, and predictive validity. Objective To assess the construct, concurrent, and predictive validity of dynamic computerized hand dynamometry. Design Prospective correlational study between dynamometry and functional upper limb performance. Setting Hospital outpatient spasticity clinics. Participants Adults with upper motor neuron syndrome affecting the upper limb after acquired brain injury (ABI) (n=38; median age, 50y; range, 18–81y) and healthy adult control participants (n=27; median age, 37y; range, 22–62y). Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Dynamic computerized dynamometry elements of hand performance (isometric force, force velocity, isometric grip work, contraction and relaxation duration) and the Action Research Arm Test. Results Motor elements of hand performance objectively measured by the dynamic computerized dynamometry protocol achieved moderate to good validity when correlated with standardized measures of functional hand performance. Dynamic computerized dynamometry identified clear differences in hand performance between participants with and without ABI. Within the ABI group, dynamic computerized hand dynamometry achieved fair to moderate predictive validity with regards to whether a participant would be referred for botulinum toxin A injections. Conclusions This study provides support for the construct, concurrent, and predictive validity of the dynamic computerized dynamometry protocol.