Orofacial and thumb-index finger ramp-and-hold isometric force dynamics in young neurotypical adults

Steven M Barlow; Mohsen Hozan; Jaehoon Lee; Jake Greenwood; Rebecca Custead; Brianna Wardyn; Kaytlin Tippin

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.02.031

Orofacial and thumb-index finger ramp-and-hold isometric force dynamics in young neurotypical adults

J Biomech. 2018 Apr 27:72:81-89. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.02.031. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

Authors

Steven M Barlow¹, Mohsen Hozan², Jaehoon Lee³, Jake Greenwood⁴, Rebecca Custead⁵, Brianna Wardyn⁶, Kaytlin Tippin⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, 141 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0738, USA; Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska, 230 L.W. Chase Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0726, USA; Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior, University of Nebraska, C89 East Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, USA. Electronic address: steven.barlow@unl.edu.
² Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, 141 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0738, USA; Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska, 230 L.W. Chase Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0726, USA; Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior, University of Nebraska, C89 East Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, USA. Electronic address: mhozan2@unl.edu.
³ Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership, Texas Tech University, PO Box 41071, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA. Electronic address: jaehoon.lee@ttu.edu.
⁴ Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, 141 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0738, USA; Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska, 230 L.W. Chase Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0726, USA; Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior, University of Nebraska, C89 East Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, USA. Electronic address: jacob.greenwood@huskers.unl.edu.
⁵ Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, 141 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0738, USA; Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior, University of Nebraska, C89 East Stadium, Lincoln, NE 68588-0156, USA. Electronic address: rcustead@huskers.unl.edu.
⁶ Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, 141 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0738, USA. Electronic address: Brianna.wardyn@huskers.unl.edu.
⁷ Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, 141 Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0738, USA. Electronic address: Kaytlin.tippin@huskers.unl.edu.

PMID: 29526460
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.02.031

Abstract

The relation among several parameters of the ramp-and-hold isometric force contraction (peak force and dF/dt_max during the initial phase of force recruitment, and the proportion of hold-phase at target) was quantified for the right and left thumb-index finger pinch, and lower lip midline compression in 40 neurotypical right-handed young adults (20 female/20 males) using wireless force sensors and data acquisition technology developed in our laboratory. In this visuomotor control task, participants produced ramp-and-hold isometric forces as 'rapidly and accurately' as possible to end-point target levels at 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 Newtons presented to a computer monitor in a randomized block design. Significant relations were found between the parameters of the ramp-and-hold lip force task and target force level, including the peak rate of force change (dF/dt_max), peak force, and the criterion percentage of force within ±5% of target during the contraction hold phase. A significant performance advantage was found among these force variables for the thumb-index finger over the lower lip. The maximum voluntary compression force (MVCF) task revealed highly significant differences in force output between the thumb-index fingers and lower lip (∼4.47-4.70 times greater for the digits versus lower lip), a significant advantage of the right thumb-index finger over the non-dominant left thumb-index finger (12% and 25% right hand advantage for males and females, respectively), and a significant sex difference (∼1.65-1.73 times greater among males).

Keywords: Hand; Isometric force; Lower lip; Motor control; Wireless sensing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Biomechanical Phenomena
Computers
Female
Fingers / physiology*
Humans
Isometric Contraction
Lip*
Male
Psychomotor Performance
Sex Characteristics
Young Adult