Wrist Plane of Motion and Range During Daily Activities

OBJECTIVE: The dart-throwing motion (DTM) is a multiplane wrist motion that is needed for many daily occupations. Mobilization along the DTM plane may be essential for rehabilitation after wrist injury, but DTM angles are reported for the dominant hand alone, so their relevance to injury in the nondominant hand cannot be surmised. The aim of this study was to quantify the DTM plane angles for both hands during different activities of daily living (ADLs). METHOD: Forty-three healthy participants wore a twin-axis electrogoniometer during ADLs. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the DTM plane angles of the dominant (20°-45°) and nondominant (15°-40°) hands. These angles varied by task and across participants. CONCLUSION: The DTM plane is a functional motion used by both hands during ADLs. Because the DTM plane angle differs among hands, tasks, and individual clients, wrist rehabilitation involving the DTM plane should not be limited to a singular DTM plane angle.