Disturbed grip-force control following cerebral lesions

Clinical routine examinations of grip force are usually restricted to measurements of strength; however, more detailed evaluations of grip-force control provide essential information about the characteristics of impaired hand function following cerebral lesions. A device for continuous recording of isometric grip force produced in a precision grip between thumb and index finger was used to develop a method that might be used for routine assessment of grip-force control. Performance was tested in five different tasks involving the evaluation of static and dynamic precision, use of vision in force control, speed, variability, and strength. The authors describe the tasks and present clinical examples demonstrating the method's precision and subtle characterization of disturbed and preserved aspects of force control, which may vary substantially within and between patients.