ABSTRACT

Twenty normal female subjects participated in a study designed to motion on the time required to complete manual tasks from the Jebsen Hand Function Test. The Jebsen Hand Function Test consists of seven subtests: writing; turning cards; picking up small objects; simulating feeding; stacking checkers; picking up large and light objects; picking up large and heavy objects. At this study, writing was excluded. Activities were performed with the wrist free and with the wrist immobilized by the volar splints that were flexed 40' and 80' . Data were analyzed using the MANOVA(Mu1tiple analysis of variance) and the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. The results showed that the time for performing the subtasks(turning cards, picking up small objects, stacking checkers) statistically significantly decreased during a wrist 40' flexion rather than a wrist free.Especially when a wrist was flexed 80' , the performing time of all subtasks statistically significantly decreased rather than a wrist free. Only one subtask(simu1ating feeding), 20-29 years old female statistically significantly decreased in performing time rather than 30-39 years old female with a wrist free. This study presents that a hand function is affected by a variable wrist position.