A constant tendon moment arms finger model in the sagittal plane

Finger movements in the sagittal plane mainly consist of flexion and extension about the metacarpophalangeal(MCP) and proximal interphalangeal(PIP) joints. A kinematic finger model was developed with the assumption of constant tendon moment arms. Equations of static equilibrium were derived for the finger model using the principle of virtual work. Equations of static equilibrium for the finger model were indeterminate since only three equations were available for five unknown variables(forces). The number of variables was reduced based on information on muscular activities in finger movements. Then the amounts of forces which muscles exerted to maintain static equilibrium against external loads were computed from the equilibrium equations. The muscular forces were expressed mathematically as functions of finger positions, tendon moment arms, lengths of phalanges, and the magnitude and direction of external load. The external finger strength were computed using the equations of muscular forces and anatomical data. Experiments were performed to measure finger strengths. Measurements were taken in combinations of four finger positions and four directions of force exertions. Validation of the finger models and of procedure to estimate finger strengths was done by comparing the results of computations and experiments. Significang differences were found between the predicted and measured finger strengths. However, the trends of finger strengths with respect to finger positions were similar inboth the predicted and measured. These findings indicate that the finger model and the procedure to predict finger strengths were correctly developed.