Evaluation of a Task-Based Intervention After Tendon Transfer to Restore Lateral Pinch.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify changes in pinch force and brachioradialis (BR) activation after a task-based training program designed to improve pinch force after BR to flexor pollicis longus (FPL) transfer.

DESIGN: One-group repeated-measures design compared pinch force and BR activation pre- and posttraining. Significant differences were tested with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for pairwise comparisons at the P≤.05 level.

SETTING: Testing occurred in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center research laboratory and training was in a home setting.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and previous BR to FPL transfer were enrolled in the study (N=8). Six patients completed the training program and posttraining measures.

INTERVENTIONS: The 10-week training was a home program that included novel activities to increase BR activation and practice producing pinch force in a variety of upper limb postures. Participants were provided with the task-based training equipment and instructed to practice 3 times per week.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fine-wire electromyography of the transferred BR was recorded in maximum effort pinch force (N). Secondary measures included the strength and activation of the antagonist elbow extensor.

RESULTS: Pinch force increased 3.7N (.38kg) and BR muscle activation increased 10% (P≤.05) after the training. There was no increase in elbow extension strength, but participants with previous posterior deltoid to triceps transfer achieved greater activation of the antagonist elbow extensor.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this pilot study suggest that outcomes of tendon transfer and conventional therapy can be improved for patients with chronic cervical SCI.