Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Work. 2023;76(3):1019-1030. doi: 10.3233/WOR-220414.
To enable (pain free) functioning, individuals with brachial plexus injury (BPI) may require a higher functional capacity compared to two-handed individuals, because the load on unaffected structures is greater.
This study compared the functional capacity of individuals with BPI and healthy controls and explored differences in the functional capacity of BPI-affected individuals with respect to: those with and without hand function; affected and unaffected sides; with and without musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs).
Six functional capacity tests adjusted for one-handed function were performed by 23 BPI-affected individuals and 20 healthy controls. Hand function was assessed through physical examination and the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to assess MSCs.
Individuals with BPI scored lower for the two-handed tests, compared with the controls (p≤0.01, effect size (r) ≤-0.41 for both tests). However, both groups performed similar in the one-handed tests. On average individuals with BPI met the physical demands to perform sedentary to light physical work. Among BPI-affected individuals, two-handed overhead lifting capacity was higher in those with hand function than in those without hand function (p = 0.02; r = 0.33). Functional capacity tended to be lower for the unaffected side than for the affected side (4 tests; p≤0.05, r≤-0.36). Test results of BPI-affected Individuals with and without MSCs were similar.
Individuals with BPI demonstrated lower two-handed functional capacity than healthy controls. Effect sizes were medium. Capacity of their unaffected side was similar to the dominant side of controls. No association was found between MSCs and functional capacity.
为了实现（无痛）功能，臂丛神经损伤（BPI）患者可能需要比双手健全的个体更高的功能能力，因为未受损结构的负荷更大。
本研究比较了 BPI 患者和健康对照者的功能能力，并探讨了 BPI 患者的功能能力在以下方面的差异：有手功能和无手功能的个体；受影响和未受影响的侧；有和无肌肉骨骼抱怨（MSCs）的个体。
23 名 BPI 患者和 20 名健康对照者进行了 6 项适应单手功能的功能能力测试。通过体格检查评估手功能，使用荷兰肌肉骨骼问卷评估 MSCs。
与对照组相比，BPI 患者在双手测试中的得分较低（p≤0.01，两项测试的效应大小（r）均≤-0.41）。然而，两组在单手测试中的表现相似。BPI 患者平均能够满足进行久坐或轻度体力工作的身体需求。在 BPI 患者中，有手功能的患者比无手功能的患者双手头顶举重物能力更高（p=0.02；r=0.33）。未受影响侧的功能能力比受影响侧的功能能力低（4 项测试；p≤0.05，r≤-0.36）。有和无 MSCs 的 BPI 患者的测试结果相似。
与健康对照者相比，BPI 患者的双手功能能力较低。效应大小为中等。他们未受影响侧的能力与对照组的优势侧相似。未发现 MSCs 与功能能力之间存在关联。
