Surface area measurements were performed on the articular facets in the human hand joints in order to calculate the area-asymmetry
(incongruency) between mutual articular facets in every one of the hand joints, and to learn about the relations between the
asymmetry in the joint, the joint's morphology, and the range of movement exhibited by it.
Several different trials have led to the conclusion that the asymmetry in a joint is strongly influenced by its morphological
type (plane; sellar; condyloid; bicondylar). No such correlation was found between the asymmetry in a joint and its characteristic
range of movement. The results contradict the intuitive assumption that the greater the incongruency in a joint, the wider
the movement it can perform.
Keywords
Hand joints
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Asymmetry
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Joint Morphology
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Range of Movement