Correlation of Two-point Discrimination and Finger Dexterity with the Hours of Computer Usage among Computer Users in South India

Abstract

Background: In this era of technology, computers have become an integral part of daily life. Repeated use of fingers and hands as in computer use may lead to sensory-motor abnormalities. Functional evaluation of hand is crucial, as physical evaluation does not measure patient’s inability to offset for the loss of range of motion, sensation, strength and disability. This study was undertaken to assess the Two Point Discrimination (TPD) and Finger Dexterity (FD) in computer users and find correlation of TPD and FD to the number of hours of computer usage. Materials and Method: This study is a cross-sectional study and 296 individuals who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study and were grouped into three categories based on the hours of computer usage. TPD of all the participants were assessed using aesthesiometer and FD were assessed using Purdue pegboard Results: There was significant change in TPD between the three groups of computer users for both the dominant and non-dominant hand; however, there was no significant change in the FD among the three groups. There was a positive correlation between the hours of computer usage and TPD, while a negative correlation was observed for FD in the assembly score measured using the Purdue pegboard. Conclusion: Significant changes were observed in TPD of all the participants which suggests early sensory abnormalities among the computer users.