THREE-DIMENSIONAL IN-VIVO KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF FINGER MOVEMENT

A large part of biomechanics literature concerning the hand has focused its interest on the long fingers and in particular on the index. In fact, this latter is characterized by the highest mobility with respect to the other long fingers and has an important functional role in allowing the movement of opposition with the thumb. The joint that mostly provides the index finger with the mobility and the stability necessary to perform useful work is the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. Many investigators have studied different aspects of this joint such as its anatomy or its kinematic and dynamic behaviour. But most of these studies have been performed in-vitro and, as far as kinematics is concerned, in-vivo studies were limited only to the determination of range of motion or to the assessment of finger orientation in static conditions.