A New Type of Chopsticks for Patients With Impaired Hand Function
By Chang, Bao-Chi, MD, DDS; Huang, Biing-Shiun, MD, PhD; Chou, Chen-Liang, MD; Wang, Shyh-Jen, PhD; Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 87, No. 7, pp. 1013-1015Publication Date: July 2006
Paper presents a method for adapting chopsticks for people with upper extremity disabilities, and to compare the efficiency of the adapted chopsticks with spoons used by adults with cervical spinal cord injury including two adults with complete C8-level spinal cord injury and nine adults with incomplete spinal cord injury from the C6 to C8 level. The materials and equipment used to create the adapted chopsticks included: (1) a pair of stainless spring-loaded pliers, (2) two hollow stainless steel chopsticks, (3) two ten by fifty-five-millimeter pieces of wood, (4) tape, (5) an electric drill, (6) an Argon welding machine. The design process of the chopsticks when using these materials is discussed, as they allow the user to easily grasp objects with a simple two-point pinch. The researchers evaluated the mean time taken to manipulate the following foods with the adapted chopsticks and the adapted spoon: (1) noodle strips, (2) cubed carrots, (3) unshelled peanuts, and (4) a tofu cube. The mean time for manipulating tofu was comparable between the chopsticks and the spoon, though the adapted chopsticks allowed the participants to complete the remaining tasks much faster. The author contends that the adapted chopsticks are inexpensive and easy to make and use, and could be used successfully by people with cervical spinal cord injury.
Published by: W.B. Saunders Company, a division of Elsevier Health Sciences (Website:http://us.elsevierhealth.com)
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Web Site: http://www.aapmr.org/ )
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (Web Site: http://www.acrm.org )
