Toosi, Kevin K
(2012)
WRIST BIOMECHANICS AND ULTRASONOGRAPHIC MEASURES OF THE MEDIAN NERVE DURING COMPUTER KEYBOARDING.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Keyboarding is a highly repetitive daily task and has been linked to musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity. However, the effect of keyboarding on median nerve injuries is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine whether continuous keyboarding can cause acute changes in the median nerve and whether these changes are correlated with wrist biomechanics during keyboarding.
Ultrasound images of the median nerve from forty healthy volunteers were captured at the levels of the pisiform and distal radius prior to and following a prolonged keyboarding task (i.e., one hour of continuous keyboarding). Images were analyzed by a blinded investigator to quantify the median nerve characteristics. Changes in the median nerve ultrasonographic measures as a result of continuous keyboarding task were evaluated and compared to the hand and wrist biomechanical variables, which were collected simultaneously.
Cross-sectional areas at the pisiform level were significantly larger in both dominant and non-dominant hands following the keyboarding task. Swelling ratio was also significantly greater in both hands after 30 and 60 minutes of keyboarding when compared to the baseline measures. Both cross-sectional area and swelling ratio, however, decreased after 30 minutes of manual rest. These acute changes were positively correlated to biomechanical variables of wrist, including wrist flexion and tendon travel.
We were able to detect acute changes in the median nerve ultrasound characteristics following one hour of computer keyboarding. These changes were significantly correlated to the wrist biomechanics. The findings suggest that keyboarding has an impact on the median nerve. Further studies are required to understand this relationship, which would provide insight into the pathophysiology of median neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
2 February 2012 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
14 July 2011 |
| Approval Date: |
2 February 2012 |
| Submission Date: |
1 December 2011 |
| Access Restriction: |
5 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 5 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
181 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Swanson School of Engineering > Bioengineering |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Biomechanics; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Median Nerve; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Keyboarding |
| Date Deposited: |
02 Feb 2012 15:31 |
| Last Modified: |
02 Feb 2017 06:15 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/10620 |
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