Clinical Use

For Occupational & Physical Therapists

The Splayometer fills a long-standing measurement gap in hand rehabilitation, providing quantitative data for extension and abduction force that has never before been available from a commercial instrument.

Clinical Rationale

Why Objective Measurement Matters

Quantitative strength data is foundational to evidence-based practice in hand therapy. The absence of an instrument for extension and abduction force has been a persistent gap.

Current Limitations

Manual muscle testing — the current standard for extension and abduction assessment — requires the examiner to resist the patient's motion with their own hands. The result is an ordinal grade (0–5) that is inherently subjective and examiner-dependent.

This introduces inter-rater variability that limits the reliability of serial measurements, complicates progress tracking, and weakens the defensibility of clinical documentation for medico-legal or insurance purposes.

Grip dynamometers and pinch gauges have long provided reliable quantitative data for adductive and compressive force. Extension and abduction have had no equivalent — until now.

Baseline Assessment

Establish Initial Function

Quantify extension and abduction force at the outset of a course of care to establish a reliable numeric baseline for each digit and the whole hand.

Progress Monitoring

Track Change Over Time

Serial measurements with a consistent instrument allow meaningful comparison across sessions — removing examiner variability from the equation.

Outcome Documentation

Defensible Clinical Records

Numerical force data strengthens documentation for clinical, insurance, and medico-legal purposes in ways that ordinal grades cannot.

Measurement Procedure

Standard Protocol

The Splayometer integrates into existing hand assessment workflows with a consistent, three-trial measurement protocol.

1

Select the Digit Pair

Identify the target digit(s). Choose appropriately sized finger rings for the digit and thumb being tested, or attach the hand loop for whole-hand assessment.

2

Instruct the Patient

Demonstrate the desired motion — extension, abduction, or whole-hand opening — and ensure the patient understands the direction of force to apply.

3

Perform Three Trials

The patient performs the movement three times at maximum voluntary effort. Record the peak force achieved in each trial as displayed on the device.

4

Calculate & Document

Compute the average or maximum value across trials. Document the result as a quantitative force value alongside any other hand assessment data.

What Can Be Measured

Individual Digits and the Whole Hand

The Splayometer's interchangeable attachment system allows targeted assessment of any finger or thumb in isolation, as well as composite whole-hand force.

Digit Isolation

Single-Finger Extension

One finger ring on the target digit, one on the thumb. The patient extends the finger away from the thumb. Any of the five digits can be tested individually using size-appropriate rings.

Finger Abduction

Inter-Finger Spreading

Finger rings on two adjacent fingers. The patient spreads the fingers apart. Useful for assessing intrinsic hand muscle function and dorsal interosseous strength.

Whole-Hand Assessment

Hand Extension & Abduction

The hand loop encircles all four fingers and optionally the thumb. The patient opens the hand against resistance. Provides a composite measure of total hand extension force.

Splayometer twist-lock quick-release mechanism detail

Fig. 4 — Twist-lock quick-release mechanism. A 90° turn connects or disconnects any attachment in seconds.

Choosing a Model

Digital or Analog — Which Is Right for Your Practice?

Both configurations deliver reliable measurement. The choice depends on clinical preference and workflow.

  • Digital model — numerical display, calibration and tare functions, flexible positioning of display and load cell
  • Analog model — no battery required, direct dial readout, compact design for focused extension and abduction testing
  • Both models accept the same finger ring and hand loop attachments via the common twist-lock interface
Splayometer digital model
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Questions or Clinical Inquiries?

We welcome inquiries from clinicians, researchers, educators, and healthcare institutions interested in the Splayometer.

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