Normative Values of Two-Point Discrimination Test among Students of Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh

Abstract

Present research was performed to generate normative values using Two-Point Discrimination test (TPD) for skin areas of dominant hand. Various studies revealed that TPD test demonstrate the integrity of tactile stimulation. In this study the test was executed on 270 students of art & design, medical and literary backgrounds of age between 20-23 years which were randomly selected from different colleges of Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh. TPD values were determined for distal palmar of the hand and tip of middle finger of their dominant hand parallel to the median nerve, which innervate the area of the hand and perpendicular on the fingertips. The examiner addressed the hand skills or any talent and visual acuity scale of the participants and used Michigan hand outcomes questionnaire (MHQ) to measure their perception of hand function, pain, satisfaction and work performance which was focused on all daily living activities of hand (ADL). To meet objectives of the study, test parameters were considered viz. ADL of one and both hands, overall function of hand, normal work; TPD values of distal palm of hand and tip of middle finger. Normative values of TPD test were obtained from range 2-7 mm among participants in distal palm of dominant hand with 4 mm average and 2-3 mm in the tip of middle finger with 2.6 mm average. Obtained normative values were analyzed statistically and compared with referred values. A plot between average TPD values shown that discriminatory sensations were found better in art and design college students. To measure the visual acuity values visual acuity test 6/6 vision was performed on participated students which represented the normal vision. Plot between values of TPD and visual acuity suggested that decrease level of visual acuity of students has better normative values which were obtained 3.4 mm of distal palm of dominant hand and 2.4 mm on the tip of the long finger. A significant relation between age of students and TPD values were estimated p<0.015 and p>0.01 for visual acuity. This study estimated that fingertips were the most sensitive part than palm of hand (p<0.01).