An Analysis of Grasp Force Degradation with Commercially Available Gloves

Excessive force has been indicated as a causal factor in repetitive motion related occupational diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and tenosynovitis. When gloves are worn, grasp capabilities may be compromised causing more force to be exerted. The objective of this research was to evaluate several brands and styles of gloves. Specifically, this evaluation determined the degradation of maximum grasping force for each of the gloves tested versus a bare-handed grasp. The results of this study indicate how much each glove inhibits grasp and a hierarchy of gloves is formed using the percentage of grasp degradation for each glove when it is compared with a bare-handed grasp.