Does Restriction of the Dominant Hand Due to Injury Improve Non-Dominant Hand Function?

Hand function will be assessed using the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), a valid tool for evaluating impairment and disability. The test includes tasks involving common grip types in daily life, aiming to measure the speed of task performance. Standardized materials, easily available in clinics, are used. The test has seven tasks: writing a 24-letter text, turning cards, collecting small objects, eating, stacking checkers, collecting light wide objects, and collecting heavy wide objects. A 1-minute rest is given between tasks, and completion time is recorded in seconds. Before evaluation, examples will be provided, and individuals will perform a trial run of each task. In our study, only the unaffected, non-dominant hand will be assessed, starting with a single real assessment after the trial.

Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire will be measured. This questionnaire is used to assess upper extremity disorders and includes 30 items covering pain, stiffness, weakness, daily activities, and functionality. Patients consider their condition over the past week, with total scores ranging from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate worse functional status.

Gross grip strength will be measured with a hydraulic hand dynamometer (Jamar®) and fine grip strength with a pinchmeter. Participants will sit in a chair with back support, following the standard position: arm at the side, elbow at 90° flexion, and wrist neutral. Fine grip strength will be assessed in double (bipod) pinch, triple (tripod) pinch, and lateral grip positions. The forearm will be fully pronated for double and triple pinches, and midpronated for gross grip and lateral grips. Only the healthy non-dominant hand will be assessed. Measurements will be repeated three times, and participants will squeeze as hard as possible. The average of the three trials will be recorded in kilograms.