Fig 1.
Illustration of the experimental setup with locations of the 2-mm–diameter reflective markers.
The solid arrow indicates the direction in which the mechanical pulley was pulled. (FDS, flexor digitorum superficialis; FDP, flexor digitorum profundus; EDC, extensor digitorum communis)
Table 1.
Loading force, flexion angles and excursion changes in full flexion of long finger.
Values are mean (SD).
Table 2.
Moment arms of long finger calculated from linear fits.
Values are mean (SD).
Fig 2.
Group results of angular trajectories in full joint movement.
(A) Correlation between absolute angle changes and applied force (bars represent standard deviation, SD). (B) Correlation between percentage of total angle change and percentage of total applied force.
Table 3.
Summary of the parameters (xo and τ) of the sigmoid regression function for the optimization of the motion trajectory in free joint movement.
Values are mean (SD).
Fig 3.
Group results of tendons’ contributions in different motion tasks.
(A) Overall FDS-FDP contributions in individual PIP and MCP joint motions and free joint movement. (B) Correlation between the P/S ratio and applied instant force (expressed as a percentage of total force) in individual PIP joint motion, individual MCP joint motion and free joint movement.