Measurement of range of motion of the finger after flexor tendon repair in zone II of the hand

The purpose of this study was to compare classification systems of active range of motion of the finger after flexor tendon surgery in zone II of the hand. Active range of motion of 20 fingers (16 subjects) was classified according to five systems. Agreement between the systems was only fair. Strickland's original system and the Louisville system rated the results most strictly, followed by Strickland's adjusted system. Buck-Gramcko's systems (in centimeters and degrees) rated the results least strictly. Strickland's systems conformed most closely to measurement principles. This article concludes that at this time Strickland's original classification system is preferable for scientific and clinical purposes. However, additional research is needed to evaluate reliability of the measurement, the variability of the scaling factor of 175 degrees, the sensitivity of the measurement, and the validity of the measurement with regard to functional use of the finger and gliding of the repaired tendon.