Sollerman Hand Function Test

This article or area is currently under construction and may only be partially complete. Please come back soon to see the finished work! (7/10/2020)

Original Editor - User Name
Top Contributors - Aminat Abolade, Kim Jackson, Vidya Acharya, Shaimaa Eldib and Joseph Ayotunde Aderonmu

Purpose

Sollerman Hand function test is used in the assessment of hand functions. It shows the ability and quality of the hand while performing activities of daily living. The test is highly significant in hand surgery for the assessment of the choice of treatment and results of treatments.

Description

Sollerman Hand function test was developed on the notion that the prehensile movements of the human hand can be expressed as variations of basic hand grips.

The main eight hand grips in activities of daily living(ADL) into which a normal grip pattern can be divided are:

Hand Grips	Position	Percentage use in ADL(%)
Pulp pinch	The object is held between the thumb and the index or the middle finger, or both	20
Lateral pinch	The object is held between the thumb and the radial side of the index finger	20
Tripod pinch	The object is surrounded by the thumb, index and middle finger. It may have contact with the web of the thumb	10
Five-finger pinch	The object is held between the thumb and the four fingers together. It has no contact with the palm	15
Diagonal volar grip	The object is held with the thumb against the four fingers. It has contact with the palm and its axis is diagonal to that of the hand	15
Transverse volar grip	The object is held with the thumb against the four fingers. It has contact with the palm and its axis is transverse to that of the hand	14
Spherical volar grip	The object is surrounded by the thumb and the four fingers and has contact with the palm	4
Extension grip	The object is held between the thumb and the four fingers, which are extended in the interphalangeal joints. It has no contact with the palm	2

Sollerman Hand function test includes 20 subtests, each involving an ADL task. The 20 subtests of the Sollerman hand function test and the prescribed hand grips include:

Subtest	Prescribed Hand Grips
Put key into Yale lock, turn 90 degrees	Pulp pinch, lateral pinch
Pick up coins from flat surface, put into purse mounted on wall	Pulp pinch
Open/close purse	Pulp pinch, lateral pinch
Pick up coins from purses	Pulp pinch
Lift wooden cubes over edge (5 cm in height)	Five-finger pinch
Lift iron over edge (5 cm in height)	Transverse volar grip
Turn screw with screwdriver	Diagonal volar grip
Pick up nuts and put on bolts	Pulp pinch, lateral pinch, tripod pinch
Unscrew lid of jars	Spherical volar grip
Do up buttons	Pulp pinch, lateral pinch
Cut modeling clay with knife and fork	Tripod pinch, diagonal volar grip
Put tubigrip stocking on the other hand	Lateral pinch, five-finger pinch
Write with a pen	Tripod pinch
Fold paper, put into envelope	Five-finger pinch, lateral pinch
Put paper clip on envelope	Pulp pinch, lateral pinch
Pick up telephone receiver and put it to the ear	Diagonal volar grip
Turn door handle 30 degrees	Transverse volar grip
Pour water from 1-L paper milk package	Five-finger pinch
Pour water from the jug	Transverse volar grip
Pour water from the cup	Pulp pinch, lateral pinch

The performance of each subtest is scored on a scale of 0 to 4 points and maximum points to be scored for all 20 tasks is 80points. The scoring system takes notes of the time taken to carry out tasks, the level of difficulty and the quality of hand performance. Patients with normal hand function would achieve 80 points with the dominant hand and 77-79 points with the non-dominant hand. The points are graded as follows:

Score	Performance
0	The patient could not carry out the task
1	The task was partially performed within 60 seconds
2	The task was completed, but with great difficulty, or the task was not carried out with the prescribed hand-grip, or the task was not completed within 40 seconds but within 60 seconds
3	The task was completed, but with slight difficulty, or the task was carried out with the prescribed hand-grip but with slight divergence from normal, or the task was not completed within 20 seconds but within 40 seconds
4	The task was carried out without any difficulty within 20 seconds and with the prescribed hand-grip of normal quality

Technique

The patient is seated comfortably with the test equipment placed on the table. The tasks are to be carried out in this position unless when standing is required for the task. Each subtest is timed with a keen observation on the hand function. Most subtests require the task to be carried out separately by each hand while some require both hands to be used.

Evidence

Provide the evidence for this technique here

Resources

add any relevant resources here