Sustained Isometric Wrist Flexion and Extension Maximal Voluntary Contractions Similarly Impair Hand-Tracking Accuracy in Young Adults Using a Wrist Robot

Abstract

Due to their stabilizing role, the wrist extensor muscles demonstrate an earlier onset of performance fatigability and may impair movement accuracy more than the wrist flexors. However, minimal fatigue research has been conducted at the wrist. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine how sustained isometric contractions of the wrist extensors/flexors influence hand-tracking accuracy. While gripping the handle of a three-degrees-of-freedom wrist manipulandum, 12 male participants tracked a 2:3 Lissajous curve (± 32° wrist flexion/extension; ± 18° radial/ulnar deviation). A blue, circular target moved about the trajectory and participants tracked the target with a yellow circle (corresponding to the handle’s position). 5 baseline tracking trials were performed prior to the fatiguing task. Participants then exerted either maximal wrist extension or flexion force (performed on separate days) against a force transducer until they were unable to maintain 25% of their pre-fatigue maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Participants then performed 7 tracking trials from immediately post-fatigue to 10 minutes after. Performance fatigability was assessed using various metrics to account for errors in position-tracking, error tendencies, and movement smoothness. While there were no differences in tracking error between flexion/extension sessions, tracking error significantly increased immediately post-fatigue (Baseline: 1.40 ± 0.54°, Post-fatigue: 2.02 ± 0.51°, P < 0.05). However, error rapidly recovered, with no differences in error from baseline after 1-minute post-fatigue. These findings demonstrate that sustained isometric extension/flexion contractions similarly impair tracking accuracy of the hand. This work serves as an important step to future research into workplace health and preventing injuries of the distal upper-limb.