Barlow, S.J., Scholtz, J. & Medeiros (2020). Wrist weight-bearing tolerance in healthy adults. Journal of Hand Therapy, xxx currently in press.
The Skinny
Wrist pain and instability are common occurrences and can occur with acute or chronic injuries. This leads to significant dysfunction, including the inability to tolerate axial loading through the upper extremity. There is no reported clinical test for hand therapists to measure axial loading from decreased wrist stability. The purpose of this study was to determine normative values for non weight bearing upper extremity.
In the Weeds
465 subjects were enrolled in the study from around the world. Healthy adults ranging in age from 18 to 64 were enrolled in the study. Exclusion criteria included current wrist pain or a history of wrist pain, previous wrist fracture, rheumatoid arthritis, breastfeeding, and/or pregnancy.
For testing, the subjects were in a standing position with the elbow and wrist in extension. They were asked to press down on an analog scale making sure their middle finger pointed toward the 12 o’clock position. This was done a total of three times on both of the upper extremities.

Bringing it Home
This study defines wrist weight-bearing tolerance norms for healthy adults, including males and females in the age range of 18-64. Knowing the weight-bearing norms could help identify wrist pathology and be another objective measure to support various hand therapy interventions (weight well hand therapy).
This study was well done, and there was a large sample size from various locations around the world. One potential conflict was cited in the article
“journal policy and ethical obligation require reporting that one of the authors of this paper (MW) is the patent owner of a company WristWidget. The business may be positively affected by the results reported in this manuscript.” (Barlow & et al, 2020).
Overall I really enjoyed reading this article, and I can say that it will impact my clinical practice. Nice job!
If you are going to purchase a scale, I would recommend making sure it has a large area to place the hand without covering the dial or numbers (mine doesn’t have enough room to keep my hand on the black area without cover the numbers). Also, make sure it is analog, not digital!
3 Comments
Leave a Comment
More To Read
Exertional (Chronic) Compartment Syndrome of The Hand
By: Tommi Long What is it? Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is an exercise-induced condition affecting the muscles and nerves, leading to pain, swelling, and reduced muscle function due to increased pressure and restricted circulation. While most commonly, it impacts the arms and legs, it is rare to happen in the hand(s). CECS is most…
Read MoreWhich is better: Splinting the MCP or PIP joint when managing Trigger Finger?
Teo, S. H., Ng D. C., Wong, Y.K.(2018). Effectiveness of proximal interphalangeal joint blocking orthosis vs metacarpophalangeal joint blocking orthosis in trigger digit: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Hand Therapy, 1-7. The Skinny- This study compared PIP joint immobilization via an Oval-8TM with a custom MCP blocking trigger finger orthosis treatment. In the Weeds…
Read MoreStretching After Stroke for Spasticity
Rapid Review By: Mikayla Murphy Kerr, L., Jewell, V. D., & Jensen, L. (2020). Stretching and splinting interventions for post stroke spasticity, hand function, and functional tasks: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74, 7405205050. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.029454 The Skinny This study focused on the benefits of stretching the upper extremity to decrease spasticity, increase…
Read MoreCarpal Fractures: A Brief Overview
Carpal fractures account for 8% of fractures in the upper extremity. The carpals are situated between the (distal radius and ulna) and the metacarpals. They make up the proximal row- Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, and Pisiform, the distal row- Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, and Hamate. Here are some of the most common carpal bone fracture Scaphoid…
Read MoreSign-up to Get Updates Straight to Your Inbox!
Sign up with us and we will send you regular blog posts on everything hand therapy, notices every time we upload new videos and tutorials, along with handout, protocols, and other useful information.
What are the norms?
What is the result?
Am I wrong …………I could not find the weight bearing norms? You did a nicht Job 🙂 thank you for the Article…