Changes in Hand Function with Age and Normative Unimpaired Scores when Measured with the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure

Abstract

Assessment of limitations in hand function due to impairment is commonplace in clinical practice and clinical research. When assessing impairment, it is useful to have an understanding of what comparative results an aged-match unimpaired participant population would generate and how the natural effects of an increase in age have on these results. Using the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP), this study assessed dominant hand function of 95 unimpaired participants between the ages of 18–75 years. The results extended available data from previous research and showed that the average SHAP score was 98 (± 3.3). The results indicate that there is a natural decline in hand function after the age of 65 years (p <0.001), which concurs with previously published studies using other assessments.