ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to research velocity of reaching and spatial coupling of upper extremity during various bimanual reaching target activities.Methods : Experiments were performed on 30 subjects. They had no medical history of neurological and surgical problems with their arms and right handed persons. Using regular cups and a pen, they moved the cup and pen from one point to another.Reaching target activities: (1) to reach for and grasp a cup and then place on the other spot with only left hand, (2) same activity to the first activity with both hands simultaneously, (3) while doing same activity to the first activity with left hand, to reach for and grasp a pen and then place on the other spot in front of the with right hand, (4) while doing same activity to the first activity with left hand, to reach for and lift a cup and then place on the cabinet.We analyzed the peak angular velocity in elbow motion and displacement in wrist position using 3-D motion analysis system.Results : The peak angular velocity was increased significantly in #2 task comparing to in #1 task. The peak angular velocity was decreased significantly in #3 task comparing to in #2 task. The displacement from the table in Z-axis was increased significantly in #4 comparing to in #2.Conclusion : The result showed that bilateral activity enhanced angular velocity in elbow motion during upper extremity task. and the movement with one upper extremity affected the other. This is the basic study for improving reaching performance in people with neurological disease.