REVISITING FINGER FLEXOR EXCURSIONS WITH CURRENT MODELING TECHNIQUES

摘要: The pathophysiologies of many distal upper extremity work-related musculoskeletal disorders are uncertain. Differential motion between the extrinsic finger flexor tendons is thought to contribute in the development of hand/wrist tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome due to increased frictional work. Armstrong and Chaffin [1] developed anthropometric-based regression equations to estimate flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendon excursions with wrist and finger joint displacements from four cadaveric specimens. Treaster and Marras [2] used the equations to predict FDP and FDS cumulative tendon excursions during keyboarding. The equations have also been used in a two-dimensional model to estimate frictional work at the tendon sheath [3]. However, there is a need to evaluate this approach with empirical data and current modeling techniques.Holzbaur et al.[4] recently developed a threedimensional biomechanical model of the upper extremity with 15 degrees of freedom and 50 muscle actuators to simulate movement at the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, thumb and index finger. However, several additions are needed to assess FDP and FDS tendon excursions. Efforts to model joint displacements of the third, fourth and fifth digits with anatomically correct extrinsic finger flexors are needed to calculate differential tendon motion (and to develop an analytical model for frictional work). The purpose of this study was to develop a biomechanical hand model with accurate extrinsic finger flexor tendon excursions.