Hand Therapy Certification Examination key terms

A measurement technique using a protractor-like instrument to record joint range of motion in degrees, with the axis placed over the joint and arms aligned to the proximal and distal segments.

The arc of joint movement produced by a person's own muscular contraction without external assistance, reflecting both joint mobility and the function of the muscles and tendons crossing that joint.

The arc through which a joint is moved by an examiner while the person remains relaxed, indicating the mechanical limits of joint and soft tissue and helping distinguish contracture from weakness.

A composite score for a digit calculated by adding the active flexion at the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, and distal interphalangeal joints and subtracting any extension deficit at those joints.

A graded assessment in which the examiner positions a limb against gravity and applies resistance to estimate the strength of a specific muscle or muscle group on a six-level ordinal scale.

Objective strength measurement using a calibrated device, such as a grip or pinch gauge, with results reported in pounds or kilograms and compared to normative values for the person's age and sex.

The force recorded when the thumb tip or pad opposes one or more fingers, commonly measured as lateral, palmar, or tip pinch to reflect the functional capacity of the hand.

A sensory screening method using calibrated nylon filaments of graded thickness applied to the skin to determine the lightest force a person can reliably perceive.

A sensory test that determines the shortest distance between two simultaneously applied points that a person can perceive as distinct, reflecting density of innervation in the skin.

A compressive neuropathy of the median nerve as it passes beneath the transverse carpal ligament, producing numbness in the thumb, index, and middle fingers with possible thenar weakness.

A major nerve of the upper limb that supplies the thenar muscles and sensation to the radial side of the palm and first three and a half digits, traveling through the carpal tunnel at the wrist.

A progressive fibroproliferative disorder in which nodules and cords form in the palmar fascia, drawing the affected digits into flexion and limiting full extension.

Inflammation and thickening of the tendon sheaths of the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis at the radial styloid, causing pain with thumb motion and wrist deviation.

A fracture of the distal radius with dorsal displacement of the distal fragment, typically from a fall on an outstretched hand, often producing a characteristic dinner-fork deformity.

A disproportionate pain condition after injury characterized by regional pain, swelling, skin color and temperature changes, and movement restriction, often requiring graded desensitization and functional reactivation.

The thick fibrous sheet lying between the skin and the flexor tendons of the hand, providing structural support to the palm and anchoring skin during grasp.

A tendon that transmits muscle force across the wrist and digits to bend the fingers, passing through synovial sheaths and fibrous pulleys that keep it close to the bone.

The functional complex of a muscle belly, its tendon, and the associated connective tissue that together generate and transmit force to a bony attachment.

The composite movement that brings the thumb pad to face the pads of the fingers, combining abduction, flexion, and internal rotation at the thumb carpometacarpal joint.

The fleshy mound at the base of the thumb formed mainly by the abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, and opponens pollicis, which are innervated by the median nerve.

The excursion of a tendon through its sheath and pulleys during joint motion, assessed by observing the skin creases and digit posture across a series of hand positions.

The use of elevation, compression, retrograde massage, and active motion to reduce fluid accumulation in the hand after injury or surgery and preserve joint mobility.

A structured approach using pressure, silicone, massage, and positioning to influence scar maturation, reduce hypertrophy, and prevent adhesion that limits tendon or joint glide.

A raised, firm scar confined to the boundaries of the original wound, resulting from excessive collagen deposition during healing and often improving over months with pressure and silicone.

An overgrowth of scar tissue that extends beyond the original wound margins and rarely regresses spontaneously, differing from a hypertrophic scar in its invasive behavior.

A graded program of progressively stimulating a hypersensitive area with textures, vibration, and weight bearing to reduce pain responses and restore tolerance for daily contact.

Damage to a nerve outside the spinal cord that disrupts motor, sensory, or autonomic function in its distribution, with recovery depending on the level and type of injury.

A fixed shortening of muscle, tendon, capsule, or skin that restricts passive range of motion and cannot be overcome by the person's own effort.

An externally applied device used to support, align, protect, or immobilize a body segment, fabricated or prefabricated to meet a specific biomechanical goal during healing.

A splint that applies low-load, prolonged tension through adjustable components such as outriggers or turnbuckles to gradually increase joint range of motion without provoking inflammation.

A protective hand posture combining wrist extension, metacarpophalangeal flexion, and interphalangeal extension that preserves the length of collateral ligaments and extrinsic tendons during immobilization.

The systematic breakdown of a task into its physical, cognitive, and environmental demands to match intervention choices to the person's goals and current capacity.

Treatment that uses meaningful daily activities as the therapeutic medium rather than isolated exercise, promoting generalization of skills to the person's real-life roles and contexts.

A collaborative process of defining measurable, time-bound outcomes with the client so that intervention targets function and priorities rather than impairment alone.

Clinical decision making that integrates the best available research, the clinician's expertise, and the client's values and preferences when selecting assessment and treatment methods.

A standardized instrument or scale used to quantify change in a defined domain over time, chosen for its reliability, validity, and responsiveness to the expected clinical change.

The smallest change in an outcome score that a patient would perceive as beneficial, used to judge whether a measured improvement is meaningful rather than merely statistically significant.

The process of explaining the purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives of an assessment or intervention so the client can voluntarily agree to participate.

The legal and professional boundaries defining the services, techniques, and decisions a clinician is trained and authorized to perform within their licensure and setting.