Abstract
A system of kinesiological analysis of fine finger activities included in usual ADL items, which utilizes very small strain-gauge was developed by the author. This system was named “ADL finger strain-gauge system”.
The characteristics of this system is that:
1) It is easy to attach it to the finger.
2) It is thin enough (2.2mm in thickness and 6mm in diameter) to be utilized to analyse various fine finger activities.
In this study, this system was attached to the thumb, index and middle fingers of 8 normal male subjects. Handwriting activity was selected as test items.
In the study of handwriting, the differences among two Japanese letter systems, Hiragana and Katakana, and latin alphabet, and those among a pencil, fountain-pen, chemical-fiber-pen and ball-point-pen were investigated. The study of handwriting revealed that:
1) The pressure between each of 3 fingers and the writing material which is necessary for handwriting is 130g on an average.
2) This pressure is about 1/400 of total hand pressure, 1/80 of the pinch-pressure between the thumb and index finger, and 1/2 of total writing pressure during handwriting.
3) Minimum pressure which is necessary for handwriting is 10-30g on an average.
4) Minimum pressure which is necessary for the index-finger in handwriting shows differences between Hiragana, Katakana and latin alphabet and between the writing materials.
5) and many others.
