Thumb Muscle Activation During First Dorsal Interosseous Activities of Daily Living in Thumb Base Osteoarthritis

NCT07668986 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: UMA-AOTMC-2026-002
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are differences in muscle activation of the First Dorsal Interosseous (FDI) and the Abductor Pollicis Longus (APL) between individuals with and without trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (TMC OA) of the thumb during the performance of six activities of daily living (ADLs). The FDI has been defined as a key stabilizer of the TMC joint of the thumb. However, the literature reports limited information on FDI and APL activation during ADLs. TMC OA of the thumb can cause pain, decreased thumb strength, impaired hand function, and difficulty performing ADLs. Understanding muscle activation patterns during these activities is essential to comprehend how this condition affects hand function and to guide more specific and effective rehabilitation strategies. Participants will perform six ADLs: turning a key to open, turning a key to close, picking up a coin, writing, squeezing a tube of toothpaste, and holding a glass of water. Muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography (sEMG) during all tasks. Adults aged 30 years and older, both men and women, with TMC osteoarthritis and healthy controls without osteoarthritis will be invited to participate. Researchers will measure the activation patterns of the FDI and APL muscles during the ADLs, with the aim of identifying differences between both groups and providing evidence to guide the rehabilitation of patients with thumb base osteoarthritis.

Conditions

Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis

Keywords

muscle activation; Trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis; first dorsal interosseous; abductor pollicis longus; surface electromyography; activities daily living

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Surface electromyographic amplitude of the First Dorsal Interosseous muscle.

  Mean surface electromyographic amplitude of the First Dorsal Interosseous muscle recorded during each of the 6 activities of daily living.

  Day 1

• Surface electromyographic amplitude of the Abductor Pollicis Longus muscle

  Mean surface electromyographic amplitude of the Abductor Pollicis Longus muscle recorded during each of the 6 activities of daily living

  Day 1

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population will include adults aged 30 years and older, both men and women, divided into two groups. The first group will consist of individuals with a clinical diagnosis of thumb trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, and the second group will consist of healthy controls without musculoskeletal or neurological disorders affecting the hand.

You may qualify if:

• \- Clinical diagnosis of thumb TMC osteoarthritis.
• \- Participants with no history of musculoskeletal or neurological disorders affecting the dominant hand were included.

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of numbness, tingling, or other sensory disturbances
• Cardiac pacemaker implantation
• Upper limb entrapment neuropathy or cervical radiculopathy
• History of neuromuscular disease, polyneuropathy, or plexopathy
• Systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or chronic liver or kidney disease
• History of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, active anticoagulation therapy, chemotherapy, or exposure to neurotoxins
• Recent upper limb soft tissue or bone injury (trauma, fracture, or surgery of the arm or neck).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Malaga: lead

Study Sites (1)

Universidad de Málaga

Málaga, Málaga, 29071, Spain

Location

Related Publications (8)

• Whitford M, Kukulka CG. Task-related variations in the surface EMG of the human first dorsal interosseous muscle. Exp Brain Res. 2011 Nov;215(2):101-13. doi: 10.1007/s00221-011-2875-9. Epub 2011 Oct 1.

  PMID: 21964867 BACKGROUND

• Calder KM, Galea V, Wessel J, MacDermid JC, MacIntyre NJ. Muscle activation during hand dexterity tasks in women with hand osteoarthritis and control subjects. J Hand Ther. 2011 Jul-Sep;24(3):207-14; quiz 215. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2010.11.003. Epub 2011 Feb 9.

  PMID: 21306871 BACKGROUND

• Parker EA, Meyer AM, Garcia Fleury I, Buckwalter JA 5th. Menstrual hormone-induced cyclic thumb CMC instability and degeneration in women: a systematic review. Biol Sex Differ. 2022 Jun 20;13(1):32. doi: 10.1186/s13293-022-00438-y.

  PMID: 35725646 BACKGROUND

• Penn IW, Chuang TY, Chan RC, Hsu TC. EMG power spectrum analysis of first dorsal interosseous muscle in pianists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999 Dec;31(12):1834-8. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199912000-00021.

  PMID: 10613436 BACKGROUND

• Adams JE, O'Brien V, Magnusson E, Rosenstein B, Nuckley DJ. Radiographic Analysis of Simulated First Dorsal Interosseous and Opponens Pollicis Loading Upon Thumb CMC Joint Subluxation: A Cadaver Study. Hand (N Y). 2018 Jan;13(1):40-44. doi: 10.1177/1558944717691132. Epub 2017 Feb 16.

  PMID: 28719976 BACKGROUND

• McGee C, O'Brien V, Van Nortwick S, Adams J, Van Heest A. First dorsal interosseous muscle contraction results in radiographic reduction of healthy thumb carpometacarpal joint. J Hand Ther. 2015 Oct-Dec;28(4):375-80; quiz 381. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2015.06.002. Epub 2015 Jun 27.

  PMID: 26209165 BACKGROUND

• Ooishi D, Ueba H, Aso K, Izumi M, Ikeuchi M. Kinematics of Trapeziometacarpal Joint During First Dorsal Interosseous Maneuver in Osteoarthritic Patients: An Imaging Study Using Real-Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasonography. J Hand Surg Am. 2025 Nov;50(11):1408.e1-1408.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.12.018. Epub 2025 Feb 7.

  PMID: 39918527 BACKGROUND

• Buschbacher RM, Bayindir O, Malec J, Akyuz G. Ulnar motor study to first dorsal interosseous: Best reference electrode position and normative data. Muscle Nerve. 2015 Aug;52(2):231-3. doi: 10.1002/mus.24524. Epub 2015 Jan 16.

  PMID: 25407952 RESULT

Central Study Contacts

CARMEN MENAYA FERNANDEZ, Doctoral Student

CONTACT

+34658424375; cmenayaf@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CROSSOVER
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Target Duration: 4 Months
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 29, 2026
• First Posted: June 25, 2026
• Study Start: June 5, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 30, 2026
• Last Updated: June 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ES (1)