3D Anthropometric Assessment of Functional Hand Grasps for Surgeons and Medical Professionals

Fine and gross motor skills of the hand are essential to complete the work of surgery. During examinations and surgery, the hand becomes a surgeon and a medical professional’s first point of contact with a patient, as they use their hands to perform tasks with various tools while wearing gloves. The anthropometry of hands and the interaction of the tool can affect the probability of developing a musculoskeletal injury [3]. Tools for healthcare professionals are typically designed using male anthropometric data taken from only one position using tape measures and calipers. The problem with this approach is that humans are rarely in these positions when carrying out everyday tasks and hand measurements and form change with movement. This paper discusses a new method of capturing dynamic hand anthropometry through the use of 3D scanners, to address traditional anthropometric hand data’s limitation. Based on an initial assessment of surgical instruments, six functional hand grasps were selected and compared to traditional hand anthropometric poses. Using these poses, a pilot study with one male was conducted. In total 65 measurements were gathered through 8 poses. The positions with the largest range of measurement change were: Total Hand Length-Palmar with 48 mm, Total Hand Length-Dorsal with 39 mm, and the tip of the first digit through webspace to the tip of digit 2 (Web) with 26 mm. Understanding dimensional change in select areas of the hand is essential to developing more ergonomic, better fitting products for surgeons and medical professionals. A 26–48 mm dimensional change can have a significant impact on the positioning of surgical tool properties, as well as the functionality of the tool and precision of work for surgeons and medical professionals with different hand sizes. This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of using functional hand grasps as a basis for collecting hand anthropometric data using a 3D scanner.