Effect of training on interlimb transfer of dexterity skills in healthy adults.

Abstract

To examine transference of dexterity skills to the contralateral hand after ipsilateral hand training, retention of skills at 1 mo, and the influence of hand dominance, sex, and age on interlimb transfer of these skills. This is an interventional study involving 200 healthy adults in the age group of 20-30 yrs and >30 yrs, who were block randomized into experimental and control groups. Experimental group was further subdivided into dominant and nondominant hand training group and participants underwent 5 days unsupervised training on tasks aimed at improving precision and dexterity. Jebsen-Taylor hand function test was administered at baseline, postintervention, and 1-mo follow-up. Analysis was done by nonparametric tests of comparison. One hundred sixty-nine subjects completed the study. Transfer effect was noted from the dominant to the nondominant hand (P ≤ 0.001) and vice versa (P = 0.003) on the total test scores. This effect was retained at 1-mo follow-up. Dexterity skills are not consistently transferred to the contralateral hand after ipsilateral hand training. However, transference of gross motor skills of hand function does occur with retention effects up to 1 mo. Transfer of skills differs based on the hand trained and age of the individual.