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Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Bond University

2006

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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Age-Related Differences In Inter-Digit Coupling During Finger Pinching, Justin Keogh, S. Morrison, R. Barrett May 2006

Age-Related Differences In Inter-Digit Coupling During Finger Pinching, Justin Keogh, S. Morrison, R. Barrett

Justin Keogh

The present study was designed to examine the finger-pinch force control, digit force sharing and digit coupling relations of 13 young and 14 older adults. Subjects performed four isometric tri-digit finger-pinch force production conditions reflecting all combinations of mean force level (20 and 40% MVC) and target shape (constant and sinusoidal). Older adults had significantly reduced force control, as indicated by their greater levels of absolute and relative force variability and targeting error than young adults. The age-related loss of relative force control was more pronounced at low (20% MVC) than high (40% MVC) forces, and to a lesser extent, …