Hand Biomechanics and Clinical Applications
Zong-Ming Li, PhD
Cleveland Clinic, USA

The human hand offers unique research opportunities because of its anatomical complexity, functional intricacy, and pathological vulnerability. Among the many hand disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome stands out to have an immense negative impact on national health care cost, worker productivity, and activities of daily living. Today, carpal tunnel syndrome remains to be a public health concern in need of research into its etiology, prevention, diagnosis, assessment, and management. This lecture will cover a series of research studies of hand biomechanics with clinical relevance to carpal tunnel syndrome. The disease model is considered at various levels of analysis dealing with molecules/cells, tissues, structures, function, and rehabilitation. Sample research projects involve carpal tunnel mechanics, manipulation mechanics, finger coordination, mechanobiology, imaging analyses, morphological studies, finite element analysis, biomechanical modeling, and neural network modeling. These studies demonstrate the utility of biomechanics methods for a fundamental understanding and better management of clinical problems.
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