Validity of the Purdue Pegboard Test in assessing patients after traumatic hand injury

Objectives: The purposes of this study were first, to determine the validity of the Purdue Pegboard Test in differentiating between groups of healthy adults and adults who suffered from traumatic hand injury. Second, to determine criterion validity of the Purdue Pegboard Test with the Functional Dexterity Test (FDT). Third, to test the correlations between the Purdue Pegboard Test and several functional hand activities.

Study designs: Fifty-four post-traumatic hand injury participants who were treated in the Occupational Therapy Clinic at the Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. Forty-three healthy participants with no history of hand injury or disease formed the control group. All subjects were assessed with the Purdue Pegboard Test, PDT and five functional hand activities.

Results and conclusions: The Purdue Pegboard Test differentiated between the healthy population and the post-traumatic hand injury population. No significant differences were found between the dominant hand-injured group and the non-dominant hand-injured group on three scores (both hands, assembly and the summarizing of the first three sub-tests). Correlations between the Purdue Pegboard Test and the PDT were moderate to high suggesting the two tests should be used in combination when assessing patients. Correlations between the Purdue and hand activities (e.g. button, laces) were moderate. Further studies are needed to examine the relationships between types of hand injuries, ROM, pinch grip and performance on the Purdue Pegboard Test.