LOWER ARM AND HAND MUSCLES IN FOCAL DYSTONIAS - SOME ANATOMICAL AND THERAPEUTIC ASPECTS

Abstract

Computer simulation of normal goal-oriented motion of human lower arm and hand may be also successfully applied in studying movement disorders, known as focal dystonias. Upper limb focal dystonia includes disturbed muscle tension balances, leading to painful, impaired and often aberrant motions. In their attempts to trace the backgrounds of this disorder, several authors have stressed the importance of the brain primary somatosensory cortex, and its role in brain-mapping. This turns out to be especially relevant during learning processes of new motor skills like practising by musicians. The present overview however will mainly analyse musculoskeletal mechanisms of arm and hand movements, with regard to their kinematics in repetitive motions. We will concentrate on pronation and supination movements of the lower arm during repeated shifting of the hand, as in handling a computer mouse, and focus on the maintaining of stable finger position during PC mouse scrolling. Physical therapy (PT) already proved itself useful in treating these focal dystonias, also known as repetitive strain injury (RSI). As an adjuvant to PT, we wish to propose local vibration therapies. Encouraging results of such a treatment, emanating from a recent pilot-study, are presented in conclusion.