Análise da destreza manual em idosos

Abstract

Manual dexterity is defined as the ability to perform coordinated movements with the hands. It is related to fine motor skills, including tasks such as drawing, writing, sewing, typing, playing a musical instrument, and other activities that require fine coordination (the use of small hand muscles). The main objective of this study is to analyze the differences between sexes in the manual dexterity of elderly individuals, and the specific objective is to examine the influence of cognitive function on manual dexterity. The sample consisted of 30 non-institutionalized elderly individuals of both sexes (15 men and 15 women). An anamnesis was conducted to gather the volunteer's health history, as well as other evaluations: Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, Katz Test (Activities of Daily Living - ADL scale), Lawton Test (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living - IADL scale), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). As a motor task, they performed the Grooved Pegboard Test. To analyze the data, the mean values obtained for the task of inserting and removing the pegs were calculated. The normality of the data was verified using the Shapiro-Wilk test (p>0.05). To compare the performance between groups, a ANOVA three-way was performed on the second factor (condition x hands x groups). The results did not indicate a statistically significant difference in manual dexterity between sexes. There was a difference in results between conditions (inserting and removing the pegs) and between hands (right and left), where in the insertion task, being more complex, the average time spent by both groups was higher compared to the removal task, and also higher with the left hand compared to the right hand. In a descriptive analysis, there was a distinct performance in manual dexterity between men and women, where the average time of the first group was lower. Overall, the study showed a strong relationship between cognitive capacity and manual dexterity.