Assessment Methods for Restrictions in Manual Dexterity: Suitability for Exposure to the Cold.

摘要

Manual work (e.g. operating machinery or installation and assembly tasks) are of great importance in civilian everyday life and military standard duties. However, numerous circumstances (carrying loads, exposure to cold etc.) may lead to restrictions in manual dexterity or coordination and reduction in hand grip strength. Thus, suitable assessment methods are needed to quantify such effects. A steadiness test to quantify hand-steadiness and a method to measure hand-grip strength have been successfully deployed to assess changes in hand tremor as well as in force-time courses of hand-grip strength before and after stretcher carriage. In this study, both methods were tested for their suitability to detect changes in hand tremor and manual work performance while the hands were exposed to cold. Additionally, a screw/bolt skill test was modified to represent common construction and assembly tasks. 16 male subjects were exposed to cold (1 h) in a climate chamber (-5 deg C, vair).